The 29-year-old former Newcastle Jets centre back managed only a handful of appearances for Tokyo during the 2011 season having joined the club from Wellington Phoenix in April.

Tokyo went on to win promotion to Japan's top flight as J2 champions, while earlier this week they clinched Asian Champions League (ACL) qualification for 2012 after winning the Emperor's Cup 4-2 over Kyoto Sanga.

However, North has opted to move on from Tokyo where the likes of Yasuyuki Konno (who recently moved to Gamba Osaka), Yukei Tokunaga, Masato Morishige and Hideto Takahashi kept him out of the side.

With the club competing in the 2012 ACL, North - who would have taken up an Asian spot in the 3+1 foreign quota - was deemed surplus to requirements.

The Australia told the FC Tokyo website: "I hope Tokyo will play with confidence in J1 and the ACL.I think Tokyo will cause a commotion in the ACL.

"It was an incredible year for me. Thank you to all of the fans and supporters."

North's new club Consadole finished the 2011 J2-League season in third place, earning their spot in the Japan's top flight for the 2012 campaign. Sapporo's last stint in J1 was in 2008 where they lasted only one season, finishing dead last.

Meanwhile, young Australian defender Jason Davidson has officially joined Dutch Eredivisie club Heracles having left Portuguese outfit Pacos Ferreira last year.