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.
This move means Miura might feature in the Japanese professional league - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the first time 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 JFL side 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. Let's make history together!"
Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth temporary move 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 remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He scored 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 first World Cup finals appearance.
Miura, who has talked of playing until he is 60, said he was ready to "embrace a fresh test" after being relegated last season to Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima finished 10th in the twenty-club third division last season.
