The J.League on Tuesday announced that Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and four other former players will be awarded medals in recognition for their outstanding contributions to Japanese football.

Below is a list of recipients and their achievements:

Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
Total Appearances: 499 / J1: 337 appearances, 8 goals
- Served as Japan’s captain in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups
- Received J.League Outstanding Player Award in 2000
- Appointed to J.League’s board of directors

Atsushi Yanagisawa
Total Appearances: 573 / J1: 371 appearances, 108 goals
- Earned 58 caps for Japan NT, participated in 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups
- 1997 Rookie of the Year
- Named to J.League Best XI in 1998, 2001 and 2008

Koji Nakata
Total Appearances: 432 / J1: 266 appearances, 33 goals
- Earned 52 caps for Japan NT, participated in 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups
- Received J.League Outstanding Player Award from 2000 through 2002
- Named to J.League Best XI in 2001

Toru Araiba
Total Appearances: 574 / J1: 423 appearances, 22 goals
- Received J.League Outstanding Player Award in 2002, 2008 through 2010

Chikara Fujimoto
Total Appearances: 532 / J1: 385 appearances, 44 goals
- Served as captain at all six clubs over 19-year career

The medals will be conferred at the 2015 J.League Awards on December 21.

* Total appearances include the J.League/J1 League, J2 League, J.League Cup, Emperor’s Cup tournaments from 1992, International ‘A’ Matches and other officially recognised domestic and international matches