Shin'yō (神鷹) "Divine Hawk") was an escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy, converted from the German ocean liner Scharnhorst.

The liner had been trapped in Kure, Japan following the outbreak of World War II in Europe, which prevented any attempt for the ship to return to Germany.

The Japanese Navy then purchased the ship, and after the Battle of Midway in June 1942, decided to convert her into an aircraft carrier.

She served in this capacity for less than a year; in November 1944, the US submarine Spadefish torpedoed Shin'yō while she was en route to Singapore.

The main differences were retention of the original propulsion machinery, and addition of external bulges which helped increase stability.

The propulsion system produced 26,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) and a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph).

[4] At a speed of 19 kn (35 km/h; 22 mph), the ship could steam for approximately 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi).

The original high-pressure, high-temperature, oil-fired boilers proved to be highly problematic and so the Japanese replaced them shortly after Shin'yō was completed.

[7] The ship was commissioned into the fleet on 15 November 1943,[4] and was subsequently assigned to the Grand Escort Command on 20 December.

The convoy consisted of eight transports, headed for Moji; Shin'yō was joined by a pair of light cruisers and several smaller craft.

[7] On 8 September, Shin'yō escorted the convoy Hi-75, consisting of nine transports and several destroyers and smaller craft, bound for Singapore.

The carrier's unarmored fuel tanks exploded and started a massive fire that destroyed the ship and killed most of her crew.