Urawa Reds midfielder Naoki Yamada has fractured his right fibula and could be sidelined for up to three months, the J. League club said on its official website.
Yamada was initially thought to have only suffered bruising after sustaining the injury in training at the beginning of August but tests revealed a fracture that may keep the 20-year-old out for the rest of the season.
Yamada suffered the same injury during a 3-2 win away to Yemen in a qualifier for the 2011 Asian Cup in January.
He joins a Reds casualty list that already includes Tatsuya Tanaka, Keita Suzuki and Tsukasa Umesaki.