A car driven by Ricardo of the J. League soccer team Vegalta Sendai was involved in an accident with two taxis at an intersection in Sendai's Aoba Ward early Sunday, local police said.
The 25-year-old Brazilian defender was slightly injured in the incident, they added.
According to police, a car driven by Ricardo brushed against a cab parked near an intersection located in Kokubuncho in the ward, then crashed into another cab that entered the intersection at around 4 a.m. The accident site is located in the middle of Sendai's largest entertainment district.
The soccer player was admitted to a nearby hospital where it was confirmed that he suffered minor injuries to his face, including a cut lip. Two other people in his car, as well as the two taxi drivers, were not injured.
Police detected traces of alcohol on Ricardo's breath, but the amount was less than levels for drunk driving charges. However, it is suspected that he violated traffic laws because it appears he has no license to drive in Japan, they said.
Vegalta Sendai escaped relegation from the J. League's first division with a win in Saturday's home match against Consadole Sapporo.