まず型の「指定形」化で始まったが、それは型の没個性化と、型と共に伝承されてきた実戦技の衰退を促した。組手では顔や拳に装着する初歩的な防具が現れた。剛柔流で使用する投げ技を排除する傾向が明らかになった。
　1972年に沖縄がアメリカから日本へ返還された。沖縄の空手と本土の空手の微妙な関係が表面化し始めた。
..Stimulated by Judo’s inclusion in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, karate also began to clearly set its sights on Olympic participation around 1970. This marked the beginning of a period of trial and error aimed at transforming karate into a sport suitable for the Olympics.It began with the introduction of "shitei-kata;designated kata," but this led to the hollowing out of kata and the disappearance of the practical combat techniques that had traditionally been passed down alongside them.In kumite, rudimentary protective gear for the face and fists appeared for the first time.Furthermore, a clear trend emerged toward eliminating the throwing techniques used in Goju-Ryu.
　In 1972, Okinawa was returned to Japan from the United States. This event brought to the surface the subtle and complex relationship between Okinawan karate and mainland Japanese karate.

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　1982年、沖縄本土復帰10周年を機に空手が国民スポーツ大会(当時は国民体育大会)の競技種目に採用され安全具の開発や剣道を手本とした競技形式やルールの整備が急速に進行した。しかし武術志向は残り金的が無防備になるフットワークや上段蹴り・脇のあいた突きなどは指導者からも審判からも戒められた時代だった。
　しかし"形"競技は本土の"形"を指定形や自由形とし、三戦に由来する強い呼吸や沖縄式のムチミの動作は反則とされるなど本場沖縄排除の姿勢が顕在化した。いま沖縄のほとんどの道場は全空連に加盟していない。
　In 1982, marking the 10th anniversary of Okinawa's return to Japanese sovereignty, karate was adopted as a competitive event in the National Sports Festival . This led to the rapid development of protective gear, as well as the establishment of competition formats and rules modeled after kendo. Despite this, there was still a martial arts focus, and movements such as footwork and high kick that left the kinteki unprotected, and tsuki with exposed sides were not well-regarded by either instructors or referees.
　In the "kata" competition, the "kata" from mainland Japan was designated as the official form. Movements involving strong breathing from the Sanchin kata or the muchimi seen in Okinawan karate were considered fouls, showing an effort to eliminate Okinawan characteristics. Since then, most Okinawan dojos have not joined JKF;Japan Karate Federation.

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　1990年代に世界の空手の主導権はヨーロッパが握っていた。彼らはテコンドーの成功に影響されて突き1点、中段蹴り2点、上段蹴り3点とするパフォーマンス重視のポイントゲームへルールを変えていた。　日本の組手競技は金的と脇を守った構えから「止めずに打撃したら必倒となる」技だけを1本(技あり2つで1本)とするルールで、いきおい地味な中段突きの応酬になった。
　In the 1990s, Europe held the leading influence in the world karate. Influenced by the success of taekwondo, they changed the rules to a good appearance-oriented point-based system, awarding 1 point for tsuki, 2 points for chudan-keri, and 3 points for jodan-keri. “Kata and Kumite have become completely different, both in philosophy and
technique”
　In contrast, Japan's kumite competitions followed a rule set that only awarded a full point (ippon, or two half-points) for techniques that would result in a deathly blow if not stopped—executed from a stance that protected both the groin and sides. As a result, matches typically consisted of exchanges of chudan-tsuki.It was a boring game from the spectator's point of view.

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　2000年のソウルオリンピックでのテコンドー五輪種目採用は日本の空手関係者に強い焦りをもたらした。2004年にJKF:全空連はヨーロッパ式ポイントゲームにルールを統合することを断行し世界空手連盟(WKF)の一支部になった。この出来事に戦前から日本の空手の発展に大きく貢献してきた沖縄出身の重鎮であった金城裕氏(1919-2013)は「あまりにも失ったものが大きかった」と述べている。(「唐手から空手へ」2011)
　余談だが日本が傘下となったことで世界最高権威と自認するWKFの今日の金権体質は目に余るものがある。途上国ではWKF役員によるWKF高段位や称号の売買が公然と行われ、それが空手そのものの信用を失墜させている。
　When taekwondo became an official Olympic sport at the 2000 Seoul Olympics, it brought great impatience to Japan's karate officials. In 2004, the Japan Karate Federation (JKF) made the decisive move to adopt the European-style point-based rule system, effectively becoming a branch under World Karate Federation (WKF). This shift prompted Hiroshi Kinjo (1919–2013), a prominent Okinawan figure who had greatly contributed to the development of Japanese karate since before World War II, to remark that “far too much was lost” (from his book"Toudi to Karate" 2011).
　As a side note, the WKF—now regarded as the world’s highest authority on karate due to Japan joining its ranks—has come under increasing criticism for its profit-driven practices. In particular, in developing countries, it is not uncommon for WKF officials to openly sell high dan ranks and titles based on personal discretion. This is bringing the damag of credibility of karate as a whole.

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　一連の変化は日本の空手道場の姿も大きく変えた。例えばどの道場にもあった巻き藁(写真)は本土からほぼ姿を消した。鍛えぬいた拳が当たったら大けがをする恐怖が本気の受け技を会得させたものである。

These changes also had a significant impact on the practices within Japanese karate dojos. For example, the makiwara (striking post), once a common fixture in every dojo, has all but disappeared from the mainland. The fear of serious injury from a well-conditioned fist once compelled practitioners to master genuine blocking techniques—but that tradition has largely faded.

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　型(形)は動作を止めて見せ場を作り、そこで強烈な表情と気合を爆発させる表演になった。本来、気合はそのような現れ方はしない。呼吸が止まり技がそこに居着くからである。気合は武術の動きの流れの中の自然な箇所で適切な大きさで現れるものである。
　Kata has been transformed into a performance.In this
where movements are paused to create dramatic moments, and fierce facial expressions and loud kiai (spirit shouts) are explosively emphasized. However, true kiai does not manifest in this way. It is not something that appears because a technique is deliberately paused or showcased. Rather, kiai naturally emerges at the appropriate moment and intensity as part of the continuous flow of martial movement.
　空手母国日本がオリンピック種目なりたさに伝統を捨てヨーロッパ式空手へ迎合したことは世界の空手愛好者に空手の本質を見失なわせる結果をもたしたと考える。
　I have no doubts that overseas people practice WKF karate, but the fact that Japan, the birthplace of karate, has abandoned its traditions and turned to European-style karate is nothing but a misleading of history and the future.

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　かくて半世紀かけての東京オリンピック2020だったわけだが沖縄の男子の形競技の金メダル以外は海外の後塵を拝した結果となった。組手競技は惨敗といえる。空手は2024年のパリ・オリンピックそして2028年のロサンゼルス・オリンピックから排除された。原因はかなり根深いだろう。
　海外では同一人がフルコンタクト空手の試合にもWKFの試合にもテコンドーの試合に出ることは珍しくはない。空手の選手がオリンピックではテコンドーをめざすことも見られる。私の知る海外のテコンドーの道場では東京オリンピック前に急きょ空手コースを設置した。近年の空手の蹴り技がテコンドー化しているのはそうした影響なのかもしれない。
　It took half a century to realize the dream of karate’s inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but aside from the gold medal in the men's kata event won by an Okinawan athlete, Japan largely fell behind the international competition. In kumite, the results could be described as a complete defeat. Subsequently, karate was excluded from both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The reasons behind this exclusion are likely deep-rooted and complex.
　Overseas, it’s not uncommon for the same individual to compete in full-contact karate matches, WKF karate events, and even taekwondo tournaments. It's also increasingly common for karate athletes to set their sights on taekwondo when aiming for the Olympics. At one taekwondo dojo I know of abroad, a karate course was hastily introduced in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics. The recent trend of karate kicking techniques resembling those of taekwondo may very well be influenced by these developments.

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　勇善会は昔も今もヨーロッパ式ではなく基本・型・組手が連携した伝統空手剛柔流を実践・継承し世界に啓蒙していく活動に取り組んでいる。 Now Yuzenkai is taking action to practice and pass on traditional karate,which is not European karate, but a connection between basics, kata, and kumite,and enlighten the world...

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補足：appendix

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appendix1;
　最近の興味深い展開の一つは前述の金城師範が「あまりにも失ったもが大きい」と表現した空手の本質に対する海外の関心の高まりがある。WKF空手で一定の熟練に達した外国人の間で伝統の空手や古武道、基本、型、組手が深く相互に結びついた古来の形式への関心が高まっている。こうした新たな関心は現代のスポーツ志向を超えて空手本来の武術的ルーツに再び触れたいという願望を示していると言える。
　One of the more intriguing developments in recent years is the growing overseas interest in what the late Hiroshi Kinjo once described as “the great losses” suffered by karate. Among foreign practitioners who have trained in the WKF style and reached a certain level of proficiency, there is a rising curiosity about traditional karate and kobudō—the older forms where fundamentals, kata, and kumite are deeply interconnected. This renewed interest signals a desire to reconnect with karate’s original martial roots, beyond the modern sport-oriented framework.

Sensei, Sizuaki Futamata
(1931～：Shihan of Okinawa Matayoshi-kobudo,Kancho of Shynbukan),the comrade my respect 　　海外で起きている沖縄古武道ブームのなか80代にしてかくしゃくと世界各地を巡って沖縄又吉古武道を指導し、ときに海外の古武道大会に出場している真武館館長二又静明先生。先生の励ましがなかったら勇善会の海外進出はなかったといえる。外国人相手の経験談、彼らを指導する際の注意点やこつなどご指導くださった恩人。

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appendix2;
　勇善会が海外へ剛柔流の思想と技法を伝える活動に取り組み10年がたち、その中から総合格闘技で戦い優勝する剛柔流や、戦場で生き抜くための剛柔流が生れてきていることは喜ばしい。剛柔流は本質的に実戦志向であるのだから。

　It has been ten years since Yuzenkai began spreading the philosophy and techniques of Goju-ryu overseas, and it is encouraging to see that from this effort, forms of Goju-ryu are emerging that succeed in mixed martial arts competitions and are being adapted for survival in real combat situations. This is a positive development, as Goju-ryu is fundamentally rooted in practical combat and real-world application.

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　"kakete(掛け手)" is one of the basic exercises

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　appendix3;剛柔流本来の間合いき古来「手組み」(掛け手)間合いから始まる接近戦である。むかし剛柔流の仮想敵は柔道だったと聞いたこともある。現在の2メートル離れての「始め！」は元来松濤館流の様式である。
..In my memory from half a century ago, I remember being
beaten and kicked by my seniors, as well as being knocked down with a byoubu-gaeshi, thrown, and knocked off by a body attack. I was swung around by kakete, sometimes headbutted, and stepped on when I fell. Those were of course tricks in Kata.

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appendix4;To revive kumite as a true expression of Gojuryu competitive context, several key principles and structural changes would need to be addressed. Here's a possible roadmap.