Spring training for the 12 Japanese pro baseball teams got under way in earnest on Friday in Miyazaki and Okinawa prefectures ahead of the season openers on March 29.

The two most highly touted rookies — right-handers Shintaro Fujinami and Shohei Otani — took their first steps out of the blocks with the Hanshin Tigers and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, respectively, in Okinawa's Ginoza and Kunigami.

Fujinami, who led Osaka Toin High School to consecutive titles at the spring invitational and national championship tournaments, threw a bullpen session in a practice with the top team.