Nippon-Ham began joint rookie training at their second-division facility in Kamagaya, Chiba, on the 7th. First-round draft pitcher Yoshihide Okawa (Meiji University) smiled as he realized he had finally started his professional career.

After taking their time to warm up in the indoor practice field, they worked up a sweat by catch and catching ground balls. Afterwards, they moved to the dormitory and did core training and weight training while also attending lectures. Okawa said with a smile, "What I feel most is that I've finally managed to take the first step. I'm not tired at all, and I slept well last night and the night before, so I was able to take on the challenge in top condition."

There are seven people in the same year, including himself. When asked about their relationship, he said, "We have meal times, and we also have morning activities, or rather, we all go for walks together. We spend a lot of time together, so I think we can get closer during those times." They gather at 6:20 a.m. and take a walk around the perimeter of Kamagaya Stadium before breakfast. He said it's also a good time to communicate.

However, this year's rookie pitcher is the only one, along with Yokoyama Towa (Aomori Chuo Gakuin University), who is ranked second in the development team. "There are only two pitcher this year, so I would like to see them as rivals, and do my best in that position," he said.

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