FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- The Central League's Yomiuri Giants said Tuesday they have agreed to a contract with free agent catcher and seven-time Golden Glove winner Takuya Kai.

His agent has informed the Pacific League's SoftBank Hawks, who offered Kai a new four-year deal, of his decision to move to Tokyo after more than a month of consideration.

The 32-year-old Kai has spent his entire 14-year career with the Fukuoka-based Hawks.

Kai rose to stardom in the late 2010s from a player on a low-paying development contract. In 2018, he was named Japan Series MVP after throwing out all six Hiroshima Carp baserunners who attempted to steal in the series.

Kai who played for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, batted .256 with five home runs and 43 RBIs in 119 games this year. The Hawks won their first Pacific League title in four years but lost to the DeNA BayStars, four games to two, in the Japan Series.