Vissel Kobe last week formally introduced defender Naoyuki Fujita along with his fellow new arrivals in the team’s season-opening press conference.

The 28-year-old joined the club from Sagan Tosu, where he served as team captain for several seasons.

“This is the first time I’ve changed clubs so I’m looking forward to a fresh start at Vissel Kobe,” Fujita said in his remarks.

“There were a lot of factors that went into my decision (to join the club), but the biggest was that I wanted to enter a new environment and force myself to improve. I wanted to play under coach Nelsinho.”

Vissel will start the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season on February 27 against Ventforet Kofu.