TOKYO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Top Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel on Friday appointed Executive Vice President and head of its green transformation initiative, Tadashi Imai, as its next president and chief operating officer, starting April 1.

Current President Eiji Hashimoto, who last month struck a $14.9 billion deal to acquire U.S. Steel, will become chairman and chief executive officer, the company said in a statement. (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)