Former Super Eagles striker, John Utaka finished the 2016 season as the top goal scorer in the Japanese top flight- the J1 league.
The former Super Eagles striker was honoured in the Japanese Football League awards ceremony.
The 32-year-old scored 19 goals for his club Sanfrecce Hiroshima to finish as top scorer alongside Leandro of Vissel Kobe FC who also scored 19 goals.
Utaka took to his Instagram page to share photos from the ceremony.
With this award, Utaka, 32, becomes the second African player to win the award in Japan after Patrick Mboma, who won it in 1997 after scoring 25 goals for Gamba Osaka.