Brazilian striker Araujo, whose 33 goals helped Gamba Osaka win its first J. League title last season, on Monday was named the 2005 Footballer of the Year in a poll of Japanese soccer writers.
Araujo, the 2005 J. League Player of the Year and golden boot winner, won the award after collecting 86 of the 245 votes cast nationwide.
Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura placed second with 39 while Araujo's former strike partner Masashi Oguro of Grenoble was third with 35. Araujo left Gamba at the end of last season to join Brazilian club Cruzeiro.