The Japan Football Association board of directors on Monday approved Takeshi Okada as national coach to take over from Ivica Osim, who suffered a stroke last month.
The latest procedure paves the way for the association to finalize the appointment of Okada, 51, who guided Japan to their debut at the World Cup finals in 1998, at an Executive Committee meeting on Friday.
JFA officials said Okada has formally accepted an offer for the Japan job that makes him the first Japanese to steer the national team for the first time in nine years.