Jubilo Iwata's former Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi will miss the rest of the season and could be a doubt for the start of the 2010 campaign after breaking a shinbone in his right leg, the J. League first-division club said late Sunday.
The three-time World Cup goalkeeper had to be substituted after sustaining the injury during Iwata's 3-0 win over Kyoto Sanga on Saturday and will require five to six months to make a complete recovery.
Injuries before the start of this season and a loss of form saw the 34-year-old Kawaguchi lose his place in the national team.
Kawaguchi played in Japan's World Cup debut in France in 1998 and was also part of the squad for the 2002 finals Japan co-hosted with South Korea. He played in all three of his country's games at the 2006 finals in Germany.