Kashima Antlers announced Saturday the signing of midfielder Koji Nakata, whose contract with Swiss club FC Basel expires at the end of this month.
Nakata, a versatile defender/midfielder who played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals, is eligible to play for Kashima from July in his second stint with the J. League first-division side.
The 28-year-old began his professional career at Kashima before moving to French club Marseille in 2005 and joining Basel the following year.
He has been capped 57 times by Japan and made 144 J. League appearances.