Shin Yamada has spoken publicly about his decision to leave Japan, revealing what drove him to make the move to Celtic this summer.

The 25-year-old striker, who is set to join up with Brendan Rodgers’ squad, featured for Kawasaki Frontale one final time in their Emperor’s Cup exit to third-tier side SC Sagamihara. It marked the end of a significant chapter for the forward, who admitted the occasion stirred up mixed feelings.

Yamada received a heartfelt send-off from the Frontale support and his teammates, with the emotions of his farewell evident despite the matchday focus. It was a subdued departure from the club where he first began to harbour serious ambitions of a move abroad.

After years of development and domestic success, Yamada has now taken the next step towards his long-term goal, with Celtic offering the platform he believes will bring him closer to achieving it.

He said: (Targma) “When I played against Kashima Antlers it had already been decided.

“Yes (I was emotional), Taiki (Yamada) was there too, and players came to see me too. It had already been decided at that time. “I feel like I’ve become more emotional! I definitely feel like I cry more easily.

“Today was a game, however, so I had mixed emotions. I was a bit embarrassed to be speaking in front of everyone there, so the tears didn’t come.

“When I joined Kawasaki Frontale, I had a desire to go overseas. I thought that if I didn’t make that decision, I wouldn’t be able to get any closer to my goal of participating in the World Cup and winning it in Japan. So that’s the decision I came to.

“Of course, there are a lot of things that happen… I was hesitant… But I had no doubts about going (to Celtic).”

Yamada’s ambition to test himself in Europe has been clear for some time, and he now sees Celtic as the right environment to push himself to the next level.

His move to Glasgow comes with the purpose of developing at club level while enhancing his prospects with the Japan national team, a World Cup appearance firmly in his sights.

The striker joins a growing number of Japanese players to pull on the Hoops in recent seasons, following in the footsteps of Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, and Daizen Maeda.

Celtic fans will now be keen to see what the forward can bring to the side as Rodgers continues to reshape his squad ahead of the new season.