Matsumoto Yamaga defender Hiroshi Tetsuto will miss the next six weeks after injuring his left hamstring in a recent match.
The 33-year-old, who has six substitute appearances this season, suffered the injury in his team’s scoreless draw at Renofa Yamaguchi on August 21.
Matsumoto remain leaders in the race for the second and final automatic promotion spot in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League with 57 points.
They are crucially three points above third-placed Cerezo Osaka with 12 rounds remaining.