Single 3-minute period (4 minutes for Senior major championship); Match is continuous; the three "phases" describe the techniques permitted at any given moment, not separate timed sub-rounds
Why people argue about this
People often assume that JJIF matches are divided into distinct 3-minute periods like in other combat sports, leading to arguments about when a period ends or how many there should be. However, the official verdict clarifies that match length is actually continuous, with phases of competition dictating technique use rather than separate time intervals.
