Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is recognized globally as football's most senior pro, has agreed to a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura might feature in the Japanese professional league - encompassing the highest tiers of Japanese football - for the initial occasion in five years.
The former Japan striker, who began his professional journey with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, failed to score in just over an hour across seven outings last season while on loan at fourth-tier club Atletico Suzuka.
"My passion for football hasn't changed, regardless of my age," he said as he gears up for a 41st season as a pro footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be presented with this chance. I promise 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 temporary move since 2022 from J2 League side 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 scored 55 goals in 89 games in an career for the national team that concluded in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
The footballer, who has talked of 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 finished 10th in the twenty-club third division last season.
