LONDON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japanese defender Maya Yoshida has agreed a three-year contract extension with Southampton, the English Premier League club announced on Friday.

"Southampton Football Club is pleased to announce that Maya Yoshida has agreed terms on a new three-year contract," read a statement on the club website.

The 26-year-old center-back previously played for Nagoya Grampus in his homeland and Dutch outfit VVV Venlo before moving to England in 2012.

He was due to be out of contract at the end of this season but will now remain at St Mary's until 2018.

Yoshida came off the bench in Saints' 2-0 win over Arsenal on New Year's Day but has now departed for the Asian Cup in Australia.