Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is recognized globally as football's most senior pro, has agreed to a temporary transfer until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura could play in the J.League - encompassing the highest tiers of Japanese football - for the first time in five years.
The former Japan striker, who started his career with Brazilian side Santos in 1986, did not find the net in just over an hour across seven outings last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My passion for football hasn't changed, regardless of my age," he said as he prepares for a forty-first campaign as a pro footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I vow I will play with everything I have to make a contribution. Let's make history together!"
Known as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
Miura, who has also featured in Australia, Italy, and Croatia, signed for the club in 2005 but has not played a minute for them since 2020.
He netted 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that concluded in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's maiden FIFA World Cup campaign.
The footballer, who has talked of continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being relegated last season to the country's lower regional divisions.
Fukushima ended the season in tenth place in the 20-team J3 League last season.
