Shimizu S-Pulse on Sunday announced that forward Shota Kaneko has reached the threshold of 450 minutes of playing time needed to sign a ‘Pro A’ contract.

The 20-year-old has appeared in three MEIJI YASUDA J1 League games as well as four in the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup this season after rejoining S-Pulse’s first team in January.

“I’m simply happy to have been signed to an ‘A’ contract,” Kaneko said in a statement. “I want to thank my family and friends, coaches, and all of my supporters.

“This is my second year as a pro, but I hope that despite my age I will continue to earn more appearances and contribute to our potential on the pitch.”

Keneko’s outfit dropped to bottom of the table on Saturday with a 2-0 loss to Ventforet Kofu, however.