Shortstop Takashi Toritani signed a five-year contract with the Hanshin Tigers on Thursday that could keep the team captain with the Central League club for the remainder of his career.

Toritani, who had pondered a move to the majors this winter as a free agent, agreed to a deal worth an estimated ¥2 billion.

"Upon making my decision (to stay), I felt a strong desire to win a championship with Hanshin," said the 33-year-old Toritani, who was with the club when they won their last CL championship in 2005.

"I want to have a year that will exceed everything I've done up to this point. I want to do well so that somehow I can savor a championship along with my teammates."

Toritani has played in every Tigers game for the past 10 years. His current streak of 1,466 consecutive games is the third longest in Nippon Professional Baseball history.

"As for keeping it going, it's something I'm fixated on," he said. "I want to keep pushing it longer and longer."