After Hong Kong was captured, restrictions on news and communication were tightened. Together with the exile of journalists in the wartime period, most newspapers were unable to resume publication. Only the pro-Japanese Military Government newspapers could be published.

Hong Kong News was established by the Japanese and was divided into Chinese, English and Japanese versions. It was published even before the occupation. The English version was the only permitted English newspapers in the wartime period. After the surrender of Hong Kong, it expropriated the South China Morning Post and took over the Morning Post building in Wyndham Street.