The Japanese baseball national team has a new outlook and a new man in charge.

Former Fukuoka Softbank Hawks star Hiroki Kokubo was introduced as the next manager of Samurai Japan during a ceremony at Japan's Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday.

"I have recently turned 42 years old," Kokubo said. "I am certainly inexperienced, but I would like to do this job for the Japan national team."