Former Yugoslav coach Ivica Osim was appointed to replace Brazilian Zico as coach of Japan's national soccer team following their exit from the World Cup in Germany.

Sarajevo native Osim, 65, currently coach of Japanese club JEF United Chiba, said he hoped to build a team with a style suited to the Japanese players.

"I think I received this offer because of what I've done for Chiba and their players and it's a wonderful thing," Osim said a day after talks with Chiba and Japanese Football Association (JFA) officials.

Osim and the JFA are expected to formally sign a contract early this month after the World Cup, Japanese media reports said.

Osim is under contract with Chiba until the end of January.

After two hours of negotiations late Saturday, Osim and the JFA agreed that he would take over the helm of the national side, the Sports Nippon daily reported.

Osim, who took the former Yugoslavia to the quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, has won plaudits in Japan since taking the helm at Chiba in 2003 and steering them to their first J-Laegue title last year.