The Championship took place between sixteen teams from 29 April to 15 May 2011 . Slovakia hosted the event with games being played in Bratislava and Košice . <!-- --> '' ' Championship — Final Standings ' '' Division I competition took place April 17 to April 23 , 2011 . Group A games were played in Budapest , Hungary and Group B was played in Kiev , Ukraine . Prior to the start of the tournament the Japanese national team announced they would withdraw , citing the recent earthquake and tsunami . The IIHF council voted unanimously to allow Japan to maintain their seeded position in their respective tournaments for 2012 , and the fifth placed team would be relegated
recent earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships