Jidosha Kabushki Kaisha Ltd (Nissan/Toyota?) bus company during WW2
HF: ” In January 1942, Hong Kong and Kowloon Jidosha Kabushki Kaisha Ltd took over the following bus routes:
No.1 Tai Hang to Sai Wan
No.2 The United Pier to The University
In October, the Hong Kong bus routes were taken over by HKKJKK Ltd and were changed to:
No.1 Star Ferry Pier to Aberdeen
No.2 Star Ferry Pier to the University
No.3 Star Ferry Pier to Stanley
As the Tai Hang – Sai Wan route was being served by the tram, the bus route was cancelled.” (1)
The kabushiki gaisha (Japanese: 株式会社?, lit. “share company”) [kabu͍ɕi̥ki ɡaiɕa] or kabushiki kaisha, commonly abbreviated KK, is a type of company (会社 kaisha) defined under the Companies Act of Japan. Often translated as “stock company”, “joint-stock company”, or “stock corporation”.
Was HKKJKK part of Nissan “In 1933, the [Nissan] company name was nipponized to Jidosha-Seizo Co., Ltd. (自動車製造株式会社 Jidōsha Seizō Kabushiki-Gaisha, “Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd.”).”
Or Toyota “トヨタ自動車株式会社 Toyota Jidōsha Kabushiki gaisha, which is called “ato-kabu“)?” (2)
Or….?
Chi Man Kwong adds: If I remember correctly, the Japanese Occupation Government only merged CMB and KMB and used a Japanese name (Jidosha Kabushki Kaisha). People like Tang Shiu-kin (who collaborated) still ran the company throughout the war. But I have to check if the Occupation Government or Tokyo had any plans to hand the company to a Japanese enterprise (they sometimes entrusted Japanese zaibatsu to take over HK enterprises – for example the Taikoo Docks).
The image below is pre-Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Any images of buses (or any form of transport), which are as rare as hen’s teeth during the occupation, would most welcome.
1940s Kowloon Star Ferry bus terminus Courtesy: batgung-moddsey gwulo.com
Sources:
- Cheng Po Hung, Early Hong Kong Transport, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, 2009
- Various wikipedia
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