Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has agreed to a temporary transfer until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura might feature in the J.League - encompassing the highest tiers of football in Japan - for the first time in half a decade.
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, no matter how old I get," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a professional 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!"
Known as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from J2 League side Yokohama FC.
The veteran, who has also featured in Italy, Croatia and Australia, 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, shortly following his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
The footballer, who has expressed a desire for 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 ended the season in tenth place in the twenty-club J3 League last season.
