TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd., holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals (TANAKA Kikinzoku Group) globally participated as a Category Sponsor in the IBSA Football World Grand Prix 2019, which was held from March 19 to 24 in the Japanese capital under the auspices of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) and the Japan Blind Football Association (JBFA).

TANAKA Holdings has been serving as a partner of the JBFA, an incorporated non-profit organization, and a corporate sponsor of Japan’s women’s national blind football team since 2017 to help raise awareness about blind football and spread the sport.

As the IBSA Blind Football World Grand Prix was held for the second time after its inauguration last year, TANAKA Holdings again participated in the event as the Category Sponsor supporting ceremonial operations to provide medals, trophies and shields to teams and players in order to contribute to further development of blind football at home and around the world.

The IBSA Blind Football World Grand Prix was newly launched last year as a competition sanctioned by the IBSA with the aim of spreading blind football throughout Asia and the world at large. It will be held for three consecutive years until 2020. In this year’s event, eight countries in the world's top 20 rankings took part in the initial round-robin phase with the participants divided into two groups of four teams (Group A and Group B). On the final day of the Grand Prix on March 24, four matches were held -- the playoffs to decide the seventh, fifth and third places as well as the final.

Colombia beat Russia for seventh place and Turkey beat Thailand for fifth place. In the third-place playoff, Japan narrowly lost to Spain to finish fourth. In the final, England and Argentina faced off in a repetition of last year’s deciding match, and Argentina emerged victorious for the second time. At an ensuing award ceremony, prizes were presented to teams and players.

(Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201903294846?p=images)

What TANAKA Holdings provided

Medals, trophies, shields

-- 1st place: Gold medal, winner's trophy

-- 2nd place: Silver medal

-- 3rd place: Bronze medal

-- Most valuable player: Shield (with Grand Prix logo, golden color)

-- Fighting spirit award: Shield (with Grand Prix logo, silver color)

-- Top goal scorer: Shield (with Grand Prix logo)

-- Best goalkeeper award: Shield (with Grand Prix logo)

TANAKA Award

-- TANAKA Great Effort Award: Trophy

Others: Referees

-- Medals

For more information, please visit:

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/201903294846-O1-1ng36yJT.pdf

IBSA Blind Football World Grand Prix 2019 official website:

http://www.en-wgp-blindfootball.com/

About the TANAKA Precious Metals

Since its founding in 1885, the TANAKA Precious Metals has built a diversified range of business activities focused on precious metals. It is a leader in Japan in terms of the volume of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, the TANAKA Precious Metals has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industrial use, but also provided precious metal items in such forms as jewelry and assets. As a group of specialists in precious metals, all Group companies within and outside Japan cooperate as one by combining their manufacturing, sales and technological expertise to offer products and services. Additionally, in order to reinforce its globalization drive, TANAKA Precious Metals welcomed Metalor Technologies International SA as a new member company of the Group in 2016.

Through its endeavors as precious metal professionals, the TANAKA Precious Metals will continue contributing to the development of a comfortable and affluent life.

Websites: https://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/ (group)

         https://pro.tanaka.co.jp/en/ (industrial products)