:RSimpson states here that "Karate is not Japanese". This is wrong to say. Anyway, it is wrong to say it in this black-and-white view. Of course karate has its roots in older Chinese martial arts, going back as far as the old Shaolin temple. Should it be said then that karate is Chinese??? Of course not. Karate IS a Japanese martial art, with roots in older Chinese martial arts. Japanese (actually Okinawan) masters of the 19th and early 20th century have changed the art into a new, modern fighting art, just as languages change, like Bihal writes: French is a French language. French does have its roots in Italy (Latin), but it is not an Italian language! There's no doubt about that, so why doubt the fact that (the modern) karate is Japanese?