Career
On 3 January 2009, Vissel announced his transfer to VfL Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga. After Vissel Kobe was relegated to the J. League Division 2 in 2013 season, Okubo transferred to Kawasaki Frontale. An ever-present figure and a regular starting eleven in Kawasaki, he scored 26 goals in his debut season in the Kanagawa Prefecture football club and cliched top scorer of 2013 J. League Division 1 season.
Okubo was part of the Japanese 2004 Olympic football team, who exited in the first round, having finished fourth in group B, below group winners Paraguay, Italy and Ghana.
He made his international debut on 31 May 2003 in a friendly against of Korea Republic at National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo when he was sent on to the pitch to replace Takayuki Suzuki. Okubo scored his first international goal on 17 October 2007 in a friendly against Egypt at Nagai Stadium in Osaka.
Okubo"s selection for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was the big surprise of coach Alberto Zaccheroni"s squad announcement. The forward had previously played just once for the coach in four years.