Much like his conspicuously calm, unflappable playing style, Yasuhito Endo, who holds the Japan and J-League first-division appearance record, signed off without a fuss on Jan. 9. The 43-year-old midfielder, dubbed “the heart of Japan” by former national team manager Takeshi Okada, guided Jubilo Iwata to J1 promotion last season before drawing the curtain on his 26-year career suddenly and unceremoniously, without even a press conference. “I felt it’s not like me to hold one and talk seriously, and off-season is off-season. I want to thoroughly enjoy it,” a typically even-toned Endo said in wh…