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Shonan Bellmare on Thursday announced the loan signing of striker Weslley. The 24-year-old Brazilian arrives from Thailand’s Buriram United on a half-year loan that will see him wear the No. 29 shirt through January 1. “I’ve wanted to play in Japan for a long time and am very grateful to be joining Shonan Bellmare,” Weslley sai…

Kashima Antlers will release Dinei at the end of June, the club announced on Thursday. The Brazilian striker, who arrived in 2015, scored two goals in nine MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances this season. “I’m sad to be leaving Kashima Antlers, but I will take what I’ve learned at this club and apply it to my career and my life,&rdquo…

Sagan Tosu on Thursday announced the arrival of midfielder Takeshi Aoki from Kashima Antlers on a full transfer. The 33-year-old has spent his entire career at the Ibaraki outfit since making his professional debut in 2001, with eight goals in 375 J1 appearances to his name. “When I was approached about this transfer I had to take a long, hard l…

Urawa Reds staged a remarkable comeback on Wednesday night in a 3-2 win over FC Tokyo in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League. The visitors dominated in the first half, with Brazilian striker Muriqui scoring his first J1 goal and midfielder Kento Hashimoto doubling the lead in the 31st minute. But the Reds came out of the locker room reinvigorated after ha…

Kashiwa Reysol on Wednesday announced the return of striker Cristiano on a full transfer from Ventforet Kofu. The Brazilian previously played for Reysol on loan in 2015, scoring 14 goals in 34 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances. He began this season by scoring seven goals in 16 appearances for Ventforet. Cristiano will join Reysol following the con…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Tuesday announced that Toshihiro Aoyama will miss several weeks with an injured right hamstring. The captain suffered the blow in Sanfrecce’s 4-2 win against Urawa Reds last Saturday in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League First Stage Round 16. According to the club, Aoyama will require four weeks to fully recover. The midfi…

Kawasaki Frontale defender Eduardo will miss five weeks to recover form a torn left hamstring, his club announced on Monday. The 23-year-old suffered the injury in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Avispa Fukuoka in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League’s 16th round. Eduardo, who has previously played for Kashiwa Reysol, Tochigi SC, and Gainare Tottor…

The J.League on Tuesday announced the renaming of the league’s cup tournament from the 2016 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup to the 2016 J.League YBC Levain Cup. The new name represents tournament sponsor Yamazaki Biscuit Company (YBC) as well as Levain, their new product line which is scheduled to launch in September. The draw for the 2016 Levain …

JEF United midfielder Paulinho, currently on loan at Shonan Bellmare, will be re-loaned to Matsumoto Yamaga, the clubs announced on Monday. The 27-year-old, who has two goals in 10 appearances this season, will play for his fifth J.League club since arriving in Japan in 2010. “I think Matsumoto Yamaga have a lot of potential,” Paulinho sai…

Gamba Osaka striker Takashi Usami has joined Germany’s Augsburg on a full transfer, his club announced on Monday. The move marks start of a second Bundesliga journey for the 24-year-old, who previously spent time at Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim on loan. Usami will greet supporters in a farewell ceremony following Gamba’s match against Nago…

The Japan Football Association on Monday announced the Japan Under-23 squad for next week’s Kirin Challenge Cup friendly against South Africa. All 21 members hail from J.League sides, with FC Tokyo, Albirex Niigata, and Kashiwa Reysol contributing three players each. The match at Matsumotodaira Stadium in Nagano will be the final domestic appear…

Two matches postponed due to April’s Kumamoto Earthquake have been rescheduled, the J.League announced on Monday. The Round 11 match between Roasso Kumamoto and Ehime FC will be held on August 31, while the Round 9 match between Roasso and Yokohama FC will take place on September 7. Both matches will be hosted at Umakana Yokana Stadium, which is…

Japan midfielder Hotaru Yamaguchi has returned to Cerezo Osaka on a full transfer, the club announced on Sunday night. The 25-year-old spent half a season with Germany’s Hannover 96, but made just six appearances after he was injured during national team duty in March. “While I was in Germany I realised more than ever that my family is in …

Kazuyoshi “King Kazu” Miura revised his record as the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League’s oldest goalscorer in Yokohama FC’s 1-2 loss to FC Gifu. The legendary striker found the back of the net in the 22nd minute for his first goal of the season at 49 years, three months, and 25 days.  But it was not enough for a win as Gifu’s …

Kashima Antlers have moved top of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League following their 2-1 win at Vissel Kobe on Saturday. Masatada Ishii’s men went down first in the tie at Noevir Stadium as Kunie Kitamoto struck the opener for the hosts. But Japan’s most successful club rallied and Shoma Doi equalised right before half time, before Yasushi Endo ne…

J.League sponsor MEIJI YASUDA will for a second straight year sponsor the season-ending J.League Championship tournament. The 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J.League Championship, which begins on November 6, features the winners of both stages. Teams with the best record over the entire season in an exciting playoff tournament to determine the J1 League champions.…

Roasso Kumamoto will resume use of their home ground, Umakana Yokana Stadium, beginning in July, the club announced this week. The MEIJI YASUDA J2 League side have not hosted a match in the stadium since April’s Kumamoto Earthquake, which caused the team to suspend activities for nearly a month. As inspections continued, Roasso held home matches…

Avispa Fukuoka striker Takayuki Nakahara’s season could be over after his club announced he will require eight months to recover from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament. The 31-year-old suffered the injury in training on May 15 and underwent surgery to repair the damage on June 17. Nakahara, who played a key role in Avispa’s successful…

J.League Chairman Mitsuru Murai has issued a strong statement condemning the racist incident faced by Kashima Antlers’ Caio over the weekend. The striker was on the receiving end of a racist tweet following their 2-0 win against Urawa Reds. And, following the J.League’s official response to the matter, Murai has decided to add his voice to…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Wednesday announced that defender Hiroki Mizumoto will miss two months of play after breaking the third metatarsal in his right foot. The 30-year-old Japan international, who from 2012 through 2015 appeared in every league match for the defending MEIJI YASUDA J1 League champions, has just 10 starts this season. Sanfrecce have su…