First Japanese patentIn 1885, the first Japanese patent was issued. It was to Zuisho Hotta for his formulation of an antifouling paint for ship hulls made of lacquer, powdered iron, red lead, persimmon tannin, and other ingredients. Although a patent law in Japan was first established much earlier, in 1871, it had been abandoned in the next year. On 18 Apr 1885, the Patent Monopoly Act was enacted marking the effective beginning of the Japan Patent Office. Antifouling paint was first patented in Britain by William Beale on 31 Aug 1625. The first U.S. patent for an antifouling paint was issued on 3 Nov 1863 to James G Tarr and Augustus Wonson.« |
