Hinoki (檜, "Japanese cypress") was one of 18 Matsu-class escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Completed in September 1944, the ship began convoy escort duty on 25 October. She damaged an American submarine in December after it had sunk an aircraft carrier in one of her convoys. In January 1945, Hinoki was one of the escorts for a convoy to Manila, the Philippines. While trying to leave Manila Harbor several days later, her small convoy was discovered by the Americans and fruitlessly engaged by American and Australian ships detached from their own convoy. After the Allied ships had disengaged, the Japanese ships were attacked by American aircraft that sank one of Hinoki's sister ships and damaged Hinoki. Two days later the destroyer attempted to