Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori confirmed the appointment of Kawabuchi, a former football player turned sports administrator.

Kawabuchi was among the Japanese squad for the men's football tournament at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, where he scored in the group stage against Argentina.

He represented Japan on 26 occasions during his career, while he also managed the national team in a brief spell in 1981.

Kawabuchi served as President of the Japanese Football Association from 2002 to 2008, while he also led the Japanese Basketball Association from 2015 to 2016.

"I'm incredibly happy and honoured," Kawabuchi said, according to the Japan Times.

"It's beyond my wildest dreams.

"Together with the acting head and deputy heads, I'm determined to do my best to create a comfortable and cosy place for athletes coming from around the world and make it a profoundly memorable Athletes' Village."

Kodokan Judo Institute President Haruki Uemura, a Montreal 1976 Olympic gold medallist, will serve as the Mayor of the Athletes’ Village.

The Athletes' Village is based in the Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo.

The village consists of residential buildings, which will have 18,000 beds during the Olympic Games - this will be reduced to 8,000 beds during the Paralympic Games.

The Athletes' Village will be renovated and sold as apartments and tower blocks following the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Both Kawabuchi and Uemura will be supported by Olympic wrestling gold medallist Hideaki Tomiyama, swimming bronze medallist Mikako Kontani and Paralympic shooter Aki Taguchi.

According to the Japan Times, Para-alpine skiing gold medalist Kuniko Obinata and wheelchair basketballer Shinji Negi will be deputies during the Paralympic Games.