Even if the founder steps back from daily administration, he never relinquishes the authority to validate and issue rank, publish or authorize official statements, produce certificates and other formal documents.
Only the founder possesses the historical, experiential, and
technical lineage required to perform these functions. This unique authority
originates from the founder’s creation of the system or organization and cannot pass to any
successor, board, or committee.
In every major Japanese and Okinawan martial arts organization including Shito-Ryu Seishin-Kai, Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu, Seibukan, the Japan Karate Association (JKA), and comparable bodies the founder (Shodai Kaicho / Soke) always retains ultimate authority unless the organization is formally dissolved, or the founder is deceased.
The founder's authority includes, but is not limited to:
1.) The right to validate or confirm rank
2.)The right to issue official certificates
3.) The right to define curriculum, lineage, and technical standards
4.) The right to publish or approve formal statements on behalf of the system
Across all major systems, the founder (Shodai Soke / Shodai
Kaicho) remains the highest and original authority in matters of:
1.) Rank recognition and certification
2.) Technical standards and curriculum
3.) Lineage verification
4.) Official statements and organizational legitimacy
A key question sometimes arises in modern disputes. Can a founder’s rank certification or signature ever be considered invalid by a current president or board?
According to all established budo precedent the answer is…..No. There is no precedent within traditional Japanese or Okinawan martial arts organizations in which a founder’s signature is considered invalid, or a current president, kaicho, or administrative leader possesses rank authority that exceeds that of the founder.
Administrative roles, such as president, chairman, or acting kaicho, may handle operations, but they do not supersede the founder’s ultimate authority unless the founder is formally deceased or the organization itself is dissolved. In traditional budo, the founder is the permanent source of legitimacy, and no successor or administrative officer can overrule, invalidate, or exceed his signature, rank authority, or lineage rights.
There is no historical precedent in Japanese or Okinawan martial arts where a founder’s signature is invalidated, or a successor in an administrative role supersedes the founder’s authority in rank or lineage matters.
A founder’s certification remains valid, during his lifetime, after stepping down from daily leadership, and even if new officers are elected or appointed by the founder himself. Only the founder’s death or dissolution of the organization ends the founder’s direct authority. The founder of a organization's role is permanent, not subject to vote, replacement, or override.
