Dean Barker wears his Team Japan colours after being announced as skipper and CEO of their America's Cup challenge for the 35th edition in 2017.

Dean Barker will regard Team New Zealand as just another sailing syndicate if he meets them on the start line of any forthcoming America's Cup regattas.

Barker was on Thursday appointed to not only skipper Team Japan in the next Americas Cup in 2017, but also be chief executive of the campaign. He said it was as good a deal as he could ever have hoped for.

The 43-year-old former Team New Zealand skipper's campaign will also be part-funded by Cup defenders Team Oracle who have pledged their assistance to Team Japan with basic design information.

"This is as good as I could have hoped for," Barker told TV One News. "To be in charge skippering and running the team as well is a great position."

Barker will need a squad of about 40 sailors to put together his challenge, which is being funded by Japanese billionaire and Softbank boss Masoyashi Son, Japan's wealthiest man reported to be worth around $29 billion.

Barker would not be drawn on if he would be recruiting other Kiwi sailors for his campaign, however. Respected yachting commentator Peter Montogomery told TV3 that Barker was well connected on and off the water.

"What Team New Zealand will be missing out on is a lot of intellectual knowledge," Montgomery said.

Sail World editor Richard Gladwell said anything was possible when big money was being waved about. Barker is not the first New Zealander to lead a Japanese campaign with Chris Dickson having guided Nippon in a previous Cup challenge in 1992.

Barker skippered New Zealand's last three America's Cup challenges but left the team earlier this year after they asked him to take on a land-based role rather than lead the team on the water.

Barker was beaten by the Larry Ellison-backed holders Team Oracle USA, who produced a stunning comeback from 8-1 down to retain the Cup 9-8 on San Francisco Bay in 2013.

"This is an incredible opportunity to build a new team from the ground up," Barker told the America's Cup organisers' website.

"It's an honour to take on the responsibility of both CEO and skipper of SoftBank Team Japan."

Time is of the essence for Barker getting a campaign underway. The first shakedown series for the Americas Cup AC45 class yachts is being held in July off Portsmouth, England.

"We're filling the key roles on the team as quickly as we can. I think we're pulling together a very strong team. We want to compete at the head of the fleet and we're assembling a team that is capable of doing that. Our goal is to win the America's Cup."

Japan was confirmed as a challenger for the next regatta last month after Italian syndicate Luna Rossa withdrew in protest at the organisers' decision to change the size of yachts to be used. Japan has contested three America's Cups - in 1992, 1995 and 2000 - but are yet to compete in a multi-hull event.

Oracle and the challenging syndicates from Sweden, France, Britain, Italy and New Zealand had initially agreed on a 62-foot foiling catamaran, known as an AC62, for the next event.

However, Oracle and the Swedish, French and British challengers then opted to reduce the size of the boat to an AC45 class, which drew protests from the New Zealanders and Italians who had already begun development work on the bigger yacht.

Team New Zealand, whose own challenge had been in doubt after organisers withdrew the offer to hold a warm-up regatta in Auckland prior to the America's Cup in Bermuda, have had better news in recent weeks with the confirmation of key sponsorship agreements.

Airline Emirates and watchmaker Omega confirmed they would support the team after the New Zealand government all but withdrew any potential financial support after the Auckland regatta was cancelled. The Kiwi synducate have appealed the organisers' decision to cancel the Auckland event, however.

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