Celtic have signed a 3 1/2-year contract with midfielder Koki Mizuno, the Scottish Premier League champions said Tuesday.
Celtic is scheduled to introduce the 22-year-old from J. League club JEF United Chiba in Glasgow on Friday.
Mizuno will be the second Japanese to play for Celtic after star midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.
To acquire a work permit from the Department of Employment, a foreign player is required to appear as a national team member in a certain number of games.
Mizuno, who last year helped Japan's Under-23 team clinch a berth in this summer's Beijing Olympics, does not meet the requirement.
Celtic, however, asked for a work permit to be granted as an exceptional case and obtained the permit earlier this month.
Mizuno made his debut for the full national team in a friendly against Peru in March before being capped three more times.
Ono deal done
BOCHUM, Germany (Kyodo) Former Japan international Shinji Ono on Tuesday completed his transfer from Asian club champions Urawa Reds to German first-division side VfL Bochum.