Defending Central League champions Hanshin Tigers were forced to shift their training site due to rain on Sunday, the opening day of spring training for all 12 teams ahead of the 2004 season.
Tsuyoshi Shinjo takes batting practice during the Nippon Ham Fighters' spring training camp in Okinawa.
Because of lousy field conditions, Hanshin moved from Ginoza to Ishikawa in Okinawa Prefecture and began workouts with an eye to winning back-to-back pennants for the first time in franchise history under Akinobu Okada, one of six new managers to take the helm this season.
The Yomiuri Giants opened camp in Guam before they move to Miyazaki later this month, marking the first time in 12 years that Yomiuri's main pitchers and hitters will take part in training camp together overseas.