BERLIN (Kyodo) -- Kashima Antlers defensive midfielder Kaishu Sano has signed for Mainz on a four-year deal until 2028, the German Bundesliga club announced Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, who joined Kashima last season and stood out with his abilities to win the ball and drive forward from deep midfield, made his Japan debut last November and was part of the Samurai Blue squad for the Asian Cup earlier in the year.

"Mainz studied me thoroughly as a player and not only saw my strengths but also my potential to develop," Sano said in a Mainz statement. "It's always been my dream to play abroad, and the Bundesliga is very well-known in Japan."

Former Japan forwards, recently retired Shinji Okazaki and Yoshinori Muto currently at Vissel Kobe, were on the books at Mainz previously and Sano vowed to emulate both.

"I'm looking forward to getting the Mainz fans off their seats just as much as my Japanese countrymen who played here before," he said.

A native of Okayama Prefecture, Sano joined then J2 Machida Zelvia out of high school in 2019 and scored one goal for Kashima in 47 appearances in J1. He has won four caps for Japan.