Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has finalized a loan deal until June with Japanese third division side Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura could play in the Japanese professional league - encompassing the highest tiers of football in Japan - 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 professional footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be presented with this chance. I vow I will play with everything I have to help the team. Let's make history together!"
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 featured in Italy, Croatia and Australia, joined the club in 2005 but has not played a minute for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that ended in 2000, shortly following his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
Miura, who has talked of continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being demoted last season to Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima finished 10th in the twenty-club third division last season.
