Avispa Fukuoka defender Yuki Saneto will miss four months of action after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder, the club announced on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old suffered the subluxation in training earlier this month and went under the knife on October 13.
Saneto, who joined Avispa from Kawasaki Frontale this season, has one goal in 19 appearances.
The news come as a blow to the outfit battling relegation a year after earning promotion to the top-flight.