Let me begin by giving you the source of this synopsis on karate rank. You can read the entire article, "How the Masters Got Their Ranks: Origins of the Karate Rank System," written on the JudoInfo.com site ( http://judoinfo.com/karateranks.htm ).
In a nutshell, as you are already aware, on April 12th in the year 1924, Sensei Gichin Funakoshi, The "Father of Modern Karate," awarded karate's first black belt rank upon seven of his students. It was to be later understood that Funakoshi's own rank was of no consequence. It was to be assumed, by him I suppose, that the rank system was for students, not for the system masters.
In Japan, the Butoku-kai, issued instructor's licenses. These were the titles of renshi, kyoshi, and the highest of the three, hanshi. Karate groups were called upon to register for official sanctioning sometime around the 1930's. A meeting called for in 1938 consisted of a group of masters who most had founded their own styles and therefore automatically assumed the highest rank that their agreed upon perspective of standards allowed.
As for Okinawa, the dan/kyu ranking system did not take hold or start to take hold until after World War II. It was known of before that time, however, many individual karate masters didn't not make use of the dan'i system. In 1937, Miyagi Sensei, was awarded the title of kyoshi from the butoku-kai. They appointed him as their chief representative on Okinawa making the island a branch of the butoku-kai.
At the end of WWII, on Okinawa, the surviving karate masters had to start over and because the butoku-kai was not a presence there, or even in Japan, they were on their own to do what the deemed prudent and necessary. Many of the dojo came together to form their own organizations. Each association during the 40's and 50's came to codify their own rules for ranking.
It became a practice that any perceived higher authority resulted in those groups adopting their requirements resulting in the legitimization of their actions. Those actions included rank awards.
All these organizations, i.e. Goju-kai, Shito-kai, Chito-kai, Shoto-kai and Japans karate associations, set the patterns and are considered the original sources for today's ranking systems. Even so, it did not perceivably remove the veil of confusion over rank and awarding rank to present day. Back then the individual clubs would assume ranks for which they were qualified but that may have been strictly according to those head guys perception and perspectives. They were the ones actually writing their criteria for rank and their system or style.
Ranking, i.e. the dan-i or kyu/dan system, only started to take hold around 1956, under the formation/new organization the Okinawa Karate Association. I quote, "Chosin Chibana, first to name his system shorin-ryu, was the first president. According to the historical data of the Shudokan (a Japanese group started by Kanken Toyama in Tokyo), Chibana and Toyama were officially recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Education to grant any rank in the art of karate, regardless of style. Chibana helped organize the OKF, and it was then that the mainstream Okinawan groups, on a widespread basis, began differentiating their black belt ranks as other than simple teacher and student demarcations."
In a nutshell there were then created associations, i.e. AJKF (All Japan Karate Federation), the AJKF Okinawan branch, Okinawa Kempo League, All Karate Kobudo Rengo-kai, Okinawa Kobudo Federation.
Richard Kim says the most significant regarding the use of the dan/kyu system was in 1964 when the FAJKO (). The FAJKO adopted a standardized rank system in 1971. Most groups are still tied to the FAJKO in terms of rank structure and sanction. Others that were not tied to the association still adhered or conformed to the FAJKO criteria and standards.
In 1967 saw the formation of the All Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Rengo-kai by Seitku Higa sensei. This group adopted similar standards of the AOKF. It was this group who certified hanshi several karate-ka who had their own group or style that included Tatsuo Shimabuku of Isshinryu. It is this ranking structure that most Isshinryu practitioners regard as authorized but with some caveats.
First, the person who awards rank shall be recognized within karate's mainstream community. It shall be based on tradition, and linked to a body or sanctioned individual who is considered beyond question authoritative. The standards used to qualify for a rank must be recognizable, and conform to the Okinawan/Japanese martial arts hierarchy. It must be recognized and accepted by existing groups and organizations that provide rank legitimacy.
As can be seen by this synopsis all of this still remains open to interpretations, perceptions, and personal perspective. If an organization becomes to restrictive in determining rank then natural instincts drive others to either go elsewhere or determine their own rules, requirements and legitimization's. If too loose then it drives others to award ranks that may not meet minimal requirements for proficiency, knowledge and expertise, etc.
In the end it will still come down to perception as to skill and knowledge over ranking. It is the endeavor to achieve both skill and knowledge at all levers that is of greatest importance vs. the quest for rank.
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