After graduating from Sendai University, he joined Toyo Industries (later Mazda) in 1977.
The club won the 2nd place in 1978 Emperor's Cup.
He played 81 games and scored three goals in the league.
On June 16, 1979, Watanabe debuted for Japan national team against South Korea.
This biographical article related to a Japanese association football midfielder born in the 1950s is a stub.