Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has warned that Koki Mizuno will need more time to settle in Scotland than fellow Japan international Shunsuke Nakamura.
The 22-year-old signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Parkhead earlier this week after moving from JEF United in his homeland.
Nakamura was voted player of the year by both players and journalists in his second season in Scotland.
But Strachan feels a spell at Italian side Reggina helped the more experienced Nakamura adapt quickly to Scottish football.
Strachan said: "We have got to wait a wee bit longer for him because, unlike Nakamura who stopped off in Italy before he came to Britain, he came straight from Japan.
"I can assure him the change of culture will shock him so he has to get acclimatised on the pitch and off the pitch.
"He is a pure, pure football player, like Naka, and Naka took a wee while to get himself beefed up to the Scottish league, but when he did that he has been absolutely fantastic.
"We give them the platform here to see if they can adapt to playing Champions League football, pressure football, winning football every week.
"It's up to them to take it but we do feel he can do it, that's why we have asked him to join us.
"We feel he has good things to his game and I'm sure we can add to his game."
The midfielder has travelled to Ayrshire ahead of tomorrow's Scottish Cup fifth-round clash against Kilmarnock, but will take no part in the game.
However the televised lunchtime clash will still be watched closely in Japan with Nakamura set to start.
Mizuno, whose media conference was attended by around a dozen Japanese reporters, admitted Celtic have been big news in his country since the arrival of Nakamura in 2005.
"Many people watch Celtic matches in Japan as they are shown on TV," Mizuno said.
"People who like football in Japan watch Celtic and because of Nakamura's presence at Celtic, that makes it big in Japan. Celtic are really big in Japan."
Mizuno is a big fan of his new team-mate as well and cannot wait to play with him for the Hoops.
Speaking through an interpreter, he said: "I have played with Nakamura for the national team. He is someone who I admire so I'm glad to be able to play together."
Nakamura was voted player of the year by both players and journalists in his second season in Scotland.
But Strachan feels a spell at Italian side Reggina helped the more experienced Nakamura adapt quickly to Scottish football.
Strachan said: "We have got to wait a wee bit longer for him because, unlike Nakamura who stopped off in Italy before he came to Britain, he came straight from Japan.
"I can assure him the change of culture will shock him so he has to get acclimatised on the pitch and off the pitch.
"He is a pure, pure football player, like Naka, and Naka took a wee while to get himself beefed up to the Scottish league, but when he did that he has been absolutely fantastic.
"We give them the platform here to see if they can adapt to playing Champions League football, pressure football, winning football every week.
"It's up to them to take it but we do feel he can do it, that's why we have asked him to join us.
"We feel he has good things to his game and I'm sure we can add to his game."
The midfielder has travelled to Ayrshire ahead of tomorrow's Scottish Cup fifth-round clash against Kilmarnock, but will take no part in the game.
However the televised lunchtime clash will still be watched closely in Japan with Nakamura set to start.
Mizuno, whose media conference was attended by around a dozen Japanese reporters, admitted Celtic have been big news in his country since the arrival of Nakamura in 2005.
"Many people watch Celtic matches in Japan as they are shown on TV," Mizuno said.
"People who like football in Japan watch Celtic and because of Nakamura's presence at Celtic, that makes it big in Japan. Celtic are really big in Japan."
Mizuno is a big fan of his new team-mate as well and cannot wait to play with him for the Hoops.
Speaking through an interpreter, he said: "I have played with Nakamura for the national team. He is someone who I admire so I'm glad to be able to play together."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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