IHI Sponsors 50th Emperor’s Cup Japan Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
IHI sponsored the 50th Emperor’s Cup Japan Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, which was held from January 31 to February 2 at the Tokyo Gymnasium (in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward). Since 2015, IHI has been an official sponsor of the Japan Wheelchair Basketball Federation. The Federation holds the Emperor's Cup tournament each year to determine the best club team in all of Japan.
The tournament brought together 16 mixed gender teams from Japan, the winners of qualifying rounds, for three days of heated games. Roughly 70 IHI Group employees and family members cheered on the athletes. IHI President Hiroshi Ide presented the athletes and staff members of the winning team (the Kanagawa Vanguards) with an extra prize: premium quality titanium glasses made using space technology.
Employees who watched the tournament shared comments such as "I was moved watching the thrilling games," "I was surprised to see that the teams were mixed gender teams," "It was moving seeing how the players would collide and get knocked over but get right back up and into the game again," and "The sheer speed of the game was truly impressive." As they watched the matches, they also gained a deeper understanding of wheelchair basketball.
The IHI Group will continue to support wheelchair basketball.