Former Japan defender Daisuke Ichikawa will hang up his boots at the end of this season, his fourth-tier Japan Football League club Vanraure Hachinohe said on Saturday.
Ichikawa, 36, became the youngest player ever to play for Japan when he made his debut in 1998 at 17 years, 322 days. He was part of Japan's squad at the 2002 World Cup the country co-hosted with South Korea.
Ichikawa played for then J. League first-division side Shimizu S-Pulse between 1998 and 2010 and made 347 appearances in the top flight, scoring 12 goals.
He also had spells at Ventforet Kofu, Mito Hollyhock, Fujieda MYFC and FC Imabari before joining Hachinohe this season.