Japan´s Yano leaves for Germany´s Bundesliga

The J-League first division Albirex Niigata striker Kisho Yano left for Germany Thursday to negotiate transfer terms with the Bundesliga’s SC Freiburg.

He is expected to sign an official deal after a medical check-up. His current contract with Niigata runs through January, but Niigata officials are expected to agree to his release.

“I felt I had to put myself in a more competitive environment to target the next World Cup in Brazil four years from now,” he told reporters at Narita airport.

The 26-year-old forward, who played only one game as a substitute in the World Cup in South Africa, has scored two goals in 19 games for the national team, and 34 goals in 191 games in the J-League first division.

Yano joins Makoto Hasebe of VfL Wolfsburg, Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund, Atsuto Uchida of Schalke and Takahito Soma of FC Energie Cottbus in Germany as one of Japan’s Europe-based internationals.

SC Freiburg, currently tied at 14 in the 18-team Bundesliga, have been promoted and relegated twice in the past 10 years.