The Chinese Cooperative Council was a civilian council consisting of leading local Chinese and Eurasians leaders during the
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began when the Governor of Hong Kong, Mark Aitchison Young, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the British Crown colony of British Hong Kong, Hong Kong to the Empire of Japan on 25 December 1941. The surr ...
.
History
After the British surrender, the Japanese tried to consolidate their power by collaborating with the local Chinese leaders. In January 1942, few weeks after the British surrender, Lieutenant General
Takashi Sakai
was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, known for his role as Governor of Hong Kong under Japanese occupation.
Biography
Sakai was born in Kamo District, Hiroshima, now part of Hiroshima city. He was educ ...
invited about 130 leading Chinese and Eurasian leaders in Hong Kong to a formal luncheon set at the Peninsula Hotel in
Kowloon
Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
. In the meeting, Saikai elaborated the idea of the
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
The , also known as the GEACPS, was a concept that was developed in the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian populations which were occupied by it from 1931 to 1945, and which officially aimed at creating a self-sufficient bloc of Asian peo ...
where the Chinese and Japanese should cooperate with each other.
After Sakai was replaced by Lieutenant General
Isogai Rensuke
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Governor of Hong Kong under Japanese occupation from February 20, 1942 to December 24, 1944.
Biography Early career
A native of Hyōgo Prefecture, Isogai graduated from the 16th class of the Impe ...
in late January 1942, two councils, the
Chinese Representative Council
The Chinese Representative Council was a council consisting of leading local Chinese and Eurasian community leaders established by Japan during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
Background
After British Governor of Hong Kong Mark Aitchiso ...
and the Chinese Cooperative Council were established, replacing the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee on 30 March 1942.
The Chinese Cooperative Council was chaired by
Chow Shouson
Sir Shouson Chow (; 1861–1959), KBE, LLD, JP, also known as Chow Cheong-Ling (), was a Hong Kong businessman. He had been a Qing dynasty official and prominent in the Government of Hong Kong.
Family
Chow is said to have been born in Won ...
, member of the Executive Council and also Legislative Council of the British Hong Kong government before the war. The 22 members of the council were selected by the three-member (later four) Chinese Representative Council which chaired by Lo Kuk-wo (
Robert Kotewall
Sir Robert Hormus Kotewall (羅旭龢; 1880–1949) was a British Hong Kong businessman, civil servant and legislator.
Early life
Kotewall was born in 1880. He was the son of Hormusjee Rustomjee Kotewall, an Indian Parsi, and Cheung A-cheung. ...
).
The Chinese Cooperative Council was directly responsible to the Japanese governor. Its duties were to report to the governor complaints from the population, to convey decisions and policies of the government and to advise the government on matters concerning the population. Although the council met twice a week to discuss issues, it had limited power. All the council could do was to make suggestions and try to persuade the government to accept it. It also headed the District Affairs Bureaux Councils and the wards which were staffed by Chinese.
Composition
*
Chow Shouson
Sir Shouson Chow (; 1861–1959), KBE, LLD, JP, also known as Chow Cheong-Ling (), was a Hong Kong businessman. He had been a Qing dynasty official and prominent in the Government of Hong Kong.
Family
Chow is said to have been born in Won ...
, Chairman
* Li Koon-chun, Vice-Chairman
*
Chau Tsun-nin
Sir Tsun-nin Chau, CBE (; 22 December 1893 – 27 January 1971) was a prominent Hong Kong businessman and politician.
Honours
He was designated a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of ...
* Cheung Suk-shun
* Fung Tse-ying
* Ip Lan-chuen
*
Kwok Chan
Kwok Chan (, 1904 – 17 June 1967) was a Hong Kong businessman and member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong.
Early life
Kwok was the second son of the Hong Kong businessman Kwok Shiu-lau. He was born in Hong Kong and was educated at the ...
Lo Man-kam
Sir Man-kam Lo, Order of the British Empire, CBE (; 21 July 1893 – 7 March 1959) was a Eurasian lawyer in Hong Kong and unofficial member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, Executive Council and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
Early ...
* Luk Ngoi-wan
* Ng Wah
*
Ngan Shing-kwan
Ngan Shing-kwan, (; 1900 or 1903 – 14 April 2001), born in Hong Kong,W. N. T. Tam
* Sze Kai-tung
* Tang Siu-kin
* Tung Chung-wei
* Wong Tak-kwong
* Wong Tung-ming
* Wong Ying-ching