Takayuki Morimoto, who became the youngest-ever professional player in the J. League when he signed with Tokyo Verdy earlier this month, qualified for an "A" contract Thursday after playing 450 minutes in league matches.

The 16-year-old Morimoto had his contract changed from "C" rank to "A" as he played the full minutes in Saturday's match against Urawa Reds and fulfilled the minimum playing time required to sign the premium deal.