Tokyo ? Barry Bonds doesn’t think Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui will have much trouble adjusting to major league pitching if the coveted free agent follows through with his plan to play in the United States.

“As talented as he is, I don’t think he’ll have to make a lot of major adjustments,” Bonds said Wednesday as he and 27 other major league stars prepared to play Japanese players in a seven-game series that begins this weekend.

Matsui said Friday he intends to leave the Yomiuri Giants to pursue a career in the major leagues. Several teams including the New York Yankees are interested in the Japanese slugger, who hit 50 homers this season.

Matsui is hoping to follow the lead of countryman Ichiro Suzuki, who left a successful, lucrative career in Japan to become a star in the majors. Suzuki was named American League MVP in his first season as the Seattle Mariners’ right fielder last year.

Suzuki, who is part of the U.S. all-star group and will play his first game in Japan as a member of the Mariners, also had some advice for Matsui.

“Now that he’s a free agent, I think it’s important that he sets his own goals and does what matters to him,” said Suzuki. “Also, he should try to create a comfortable atmosphere with the media.”

Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi indirectly made his sales pitch to Matsui.

“The rumor mill says he wants to go to the Yankees and we’d be excited to have him,” Giambi said. “I think he’d be used to the media attention in New York because the Giants are to Tokyo what the Yankees are to New York.”

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki, left, speaks to the media alongside San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds in Tokyo. Both were in Japan on Wednesday along with 27 other major league all-stars for a seven-game series against their Japanese counterparts.

Ever since turning down a multiyear deal with the Giants last December, there was speculation that Matsui would follow in the steps of Suzuki and sign with a major league team.

The Giants, Japan’s most popular team, were prepared to offer Matsui a four-year deal worth $33 million, plus incentives, Japanese news media reported.

The seven-game series begins Sunday at Tokyo Dome. The major league all-stars will play a tuneup game against Matsui and the Giants on Saturday.

Bonds, Suzuki, Giambi, along with the Yankees’ Bernie Williams and the New York Mets’ Roberto Alomar will be just some of the players on hand in Tokyo.