Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has agreed to a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura could play in the Japanese professional league - the top three divisions of Japanese football - for the initial occasion in five years.
The ex-international forward, who started his career with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, failed to score in just over an hour across seven appearances last season while on loan at fourth-tier club Atletico Suzuka.
"My passion for football remains undimmed, regardless of my age," he said as he prepares for a forty-first campaign as a professional footballer.
"I am truly thankful to be given this opportunity. I promise I will play with everything I have to help the team. Together, we can create a legacy!"
Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
Miura, who has also played club football in Australia, Italy, and Croatia, joined the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He netted 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that concluded in 2000, two years after his notable omission from the squad for Japan's maiden FIFA World Cup campaign.
The footballer, who has expressed a desire for continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "embrace a fresh test" after being demoted last season to Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima United ended the season in tenth place in the twenty-club third division last season.
