In April of 1949, Kanei opened a school in Ginowan, Okinawa with Ryuko Tomoyose, son of Ryuyu. In May of 1956 the Okinawa Karate Federation began its existence with Uechi-ryu as a charter member. Later that year George Mattson began studying Uechi-ryu under Ryuko Tomoyose, two years later to become the first to bring Uechi-ryu to North America. Some time later James Thompson began his studies under Kanei Uechi. In July 1957, Kanei moved his dojo to its current location in Futenma, Okinawa.
In April 1967 the All Okinawa Karate Federation awarded Kanei Uechi the rank of Judan (10th degree black belt). On February 24, 1991 Kanei Uechi died after a long illness and Uechi-ryu began dividing into many separate political groups. The main groups to emerge after Kanei?s death were the Soke (family), led by Kanmei Uechi, The Okikukai (association), now led by Tsutomu Nakahodo, and the Kenukai, led by Kiohide Shinjo. In the 1970?s some practitioners broke away from the Uechi group and established schools under the Pangainoon name and sometime later a group called Konan-ryu spun off from either the Uechi group or the Pangainoon group. Currently there are more than a dozen groups practicing Uechi-ryu around the world.
In late April 1996 several Okinawan masters led by Minoru Miyagi (a student of Seiyu Shinjo) and including Masakazu Kinjo formed the Okinawa Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Hozonkai. Mr. Miyagi holds the position of president, while Mr. Kinjo holds the position of Di Ji Jo (sub or alternate president).
In the spring of 2001 all the Heads of the factions except Soke came together and formed a coalition called Uechi-Ryu Rengokai. While all the factions still exist autonomously, the Uechi-Ryu Rengokai has been formed in order to present a show of unification.
