Mihael Mikic believes the relegation fear factor is inspiring misfiring Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and the Croatian winger insists he will put "an arm and a leg" on the three-time J. League champions escaping the drop.

Hiroshima was the better team for long stretches of Saturday's match away to Kawasaki Frontale, but a 1-0 defeat saw Hajime Moriyasu's men drop to second-from-bottom in the first division approaching the midway point of the season.

Sanfrecce have had to deal with the loss of several key personnel from last season and have won just twice in the league this year, but Mikic, 37, believes the team is turning a corner.