TORONTO, Ont. (January 17, 2020) – Canada Basketball announced Friday that Kariya City, Japan will host pre-Olympic training camp for the Senior Women’s National Team, should Canada qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Located near the centre of Aichi Prefecture, a key area in the centre of Japan and one of the three large metropolises along with Tokyo and Osaka, Kariya City is situated fifteen kilometres southwest of Nagoya, between Kyoto and Tokyo.  Kariya City was the original site of a loom-manufacturing factory, founded by Toyoda Sakichi in the 1930s, that was a precursor to the Toyota Motor Corporation.  

A city of “co-existence and collaboration,” Kariya City is not only home to several automotive companies at the centre of the city but also beautiful natural environments, including Kozutsuminishi Pond, a designated national natural monument, which is famous for a field of Japanese irises, and the greenery of Suhara Park.

Kariya City also has a unique connection to Canada as it is the sister-city of Mississauga, Ont.  Since 1981, Mississauga and Kariya City have enjoyed a sister-city relationship, exchanging friendship and cultural delegations, and today both proudly commemorate the twinning with parks.  Kariya City Park in Mississauga was built at the Mississauga Civic Centre in July 1992 to commemorate the 11^th anniversary of the relationship, while Mississauga Park (Sawatari Park) in Kariya City was renovated to honour the 20^th anniversary of the sisterhood and features a maple leaf monument.

Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team will train at the Wing Arena Kariya, the central facility of Kariya-City General Athletic Park.  In addition to the main arena, the Wing Arena Kariya also features sub arenas and a swimming pool.

The Wing Arena Kariya is the home arena for Kariya City’s B. LEAGUE (Seahorses Mikawa) and W LEAGUE (Denso Iris / Toyota Boshoku Sunshine Rabbits) and hosted international friendship games for the Japanese national basketball team in 2017.

Canada will participate in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ostend, Belgium next month as they look to secure their spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  

Canada will face Belgium (February 6, 2:35 PM ET), Sweden (February 8, 2:35 PM ET) and Japan (February 9, 12:05 PM ET).  Click here for the full tournament schedule.

The two (2) highest placed teams and Japan, as Host of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament.

Canada is currently ranked a program-high 4^th worldwide in the FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE and have participated in the past two Olympic Games (London 2012, Rio 2016).

QUOTES

“On behalf of Canada Basketball and our Senior Women’s National Team, I’d like to thank Kariya City for the support and generosity they’ve shown in committing to host our team ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  I know Kariya City will provide Team Canada with a first-class environment during a critical stage of their training that will ultimately help propel them to their goal of a place on the podium.  I believe this agreement will not only strengthens the sister-city connection between Mississauga and Kariya City but will also reinforce positive relations between Canada and Japan.” – Glen Grunwald, President & CEO, Canada Basketball

“Our women’s national team program is grateful to Kariya City for their support in hosting our upcoming pre-Olympic training camp.  We are very much looking forward to being in Kariya City in advance of the start to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as it will provide our women’s national team with a great environment for our preparation and adaptation.  The Kariya City sport facilities are world-class and the sports department has been very welcoming.  We are also honoured to have been selected by Kariya City to continue the long standing tradition and relationship between Japan and Canada.” – Denise Dignard, Director, Women’s High Performance

“We are very pleased to have signed a memorandum between Canada Basketball and Kariya City to host pre-Olympic training camp for Canada’s Senior Women’s National Basketball Team ahead of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  We are very grateful that Canada Basketball has chosen Kariya City for their pre-Olympic training camp location and thank all those who have provided us such an opportunity.  Starting with the sister-city relationship between Mississauga and Kariya City, which began in 1981, Canada and Kariya City have a wonderful history and deep friendship through exchange. We believe that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will make our relationship even deeper.  Finally, we sincerely hope that the team will win at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament next month and we will welcome Canada’s Senior Women’s National Basketball Team to Kariya City in July.” – Takeshi Inagaki, Mayor, Kariya City

“We have been preparing to welcome the Canada’s Senior Women’s Basketball National Team to Kariya City since 2014.  Wing Arena Kariya is one of our region’s finest facilities and was named Arena of the Year in Japan, receiving high praise from many athletes and managers.  We look forward to welcoming Team Canada to Kariya City.  In preparation for the pre-Olympic training camp, we will work with Kariya City to establish a support system for the team and will look to organize an exchange event to further connect the Kariya City citizens with the visiting Canadians.  We will be cheering for Canada’s Senior Women’s Basketball National Team to have a great performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games” – Masahiko Yagi, Chief Director of Basketball Federation, Kariya City

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