Chapter 3

When the 66 nylon samples were submitted to the University of Tokyo, Yōko met with a man who resembled a daruma doll, along with Kiyotsugu.

"This time, I am truly grateful for your effort to come for my daughter's invention."

"Oh, thank you..."

"Not at all, not at all. If a promising industry can be established in our country other than silk, it must be protected and developed. I would like to assist in that effort."

However, this man was someone both Kiyotsugu and Yōko recognized.

(Oh no, the final economic battle weapon K.O.R.E.K.I.Y.O. has appeared...)

His name was Takahashi Sukehiro. He made significant contributions to Japan's war funding during the Russo-Japanese War a few years later and worked tirelessly to revitalize the economy during the Showa Depression. He was one of Japan's leading economic experts, known for his long and distinguished career. Upon hearing that Yōko was applying for a patent for nylon, he became interested in her invention, leveraging his experience as a former head of the Patent Office.

"To receive such praise from the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan is a great honor."

"I heard from a patent office employee that it could be a third material on par with wood and iron. If it is as wonderful as they say, I would like to see it with my own eyes."

"Oh, if that's the case, I should have kept some polyamide fibers for Mr. Takahashi. I handed them all over to the University of Tokyo."

Kiyotsugu responded with a look of regret to Takahashi's words.

"Since a four-year-old can make it, I thought it was easy to produce, but is that not the case?"

"As Mr. Takahashi says, the process is simple enough for me to do. However, the raw materials can only be produced in Germany, so it's not easy to make."

This time, Yōko answered with a look of apology.

"...Your daughter speaks much more clearly than I expected. So, the rush to file the patent is not your husband's will, but your daughter's, is it?"

"Yes. If we don't get the patent, Germany, which can produce the raw materials domestically, will use polyamide on a large scale."

"To prevent that, the exclusive rights granted to the patent holder are necessary, right, Yōko?"

Takahashi, who had not expected Yōko to want the patent herself, opened his eyes wide for a moment and then laughed pleasantly.

"Indeed... What a remarkable girl, Takanobu."

"This child often sneaks into my study and reads all sorts of books. She must have read about the patent system somewhere."

"Then, do you know what is necessary for an invention to be granted a patent?"

This was a question about the so-called patent requirements, which Yōko could answer easily.

"In general, there are three things to consider: utility, novelty, and inventiveness. Um..."

Kiyotsugu, judging that it would take time for Yōko to finish speaking due to her still developing speech, interjected.

"Namely, it must be capable of industrial application, not already publicly known, and not something that can be easily thought of, in order to be granted a patent."

"Yes. Additionally, it must not have been invented by someone else first, and it must not violate public order and morals."

When Yōko heard this, she felt a sense of discomfort.

"Wait, if the invention hasn't been filed, can't it still be patented even if someone else invented it first?"

"That's the patent law in Germany. In our country, we adopt the first-to-invent system, so if someone else has already invented it, the patent will not be granted."

In modern times, most countries adopt the first-to-file system, and Japan is no exception. However, at that time, Japan adopted the first-to-invent system, where the patent could not be granted if someone else had invented it first, regardless of the filing date. This often led to disputes over who invented it first, making it a problematic system despite its seemingly ideal nature.

"I see. I must have confused it with the patent laws of other countries."

"That's impressive to understand at your age. I hope you continue to work hard in this manner."

"Thank you."

Yōko decided not to delve into this issue, as she was confident that no one had invented polyamide before her.

"Now, regarding the patent requirements, the novelty and inventiveness have been confirmed by the professors at the Imperial University. I have a former colleague from the Patent Office checking, and no similar invention has been found, nor does it violate public order and morals. Therefore, I believe it will be recognized as a patent if it has industrial utility. What usage do you have in mind?"

Takahashi, who was now the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan rather than a patent office official, had come to confirm this. The more industries there were, the more it aligned with the concept of a rich and strong nation.

"First, it can be used as a synthetic fiber."

"It is clearly stronger than silk or cotton, so it can be made finer than silk while maintaining sufficient strength."

"However, there are other uses as well."

"Go on, tell me more."

The use of synthetic fibers, which are plastic stretched into thin threads, was the first thing that came to mind for those involved. However, at that time, silk production was a crucial industry for earning foreign currency, and competing with it could create friction domestically in the future.

"For example, it can be melted and molded into any shape using a mold."

"Things like lunch boxes, water bottles, and tableware can be made, and it can also be extruded into cylindrical or angular shapes for assembly."

"Yes. Compared to metals, it is less hard and heat-resistant, but it is much lighter, making it a material that can create various structures more cheaply and easily. Although it is flammable, it can be burned and disposed of when no longer needed, so it can be used in various ways depending on the application."

"Indeed, such properties would clearly differentiate it from silk and artificial silk."

In modern society, many tools are made of plastic, which is easier to process than metal and yet lightweight, greatly expanding its applications.

"Furthermore, by adding fillers, it may be possible to create a more robust material. If so, it could potentially replace wood and even metals."

By adding fillers, the performance of plastics can be significantly improved. For example, talc can be used for inexpensive products, and short glass fibers or carbon fibers for high-performance products. Conversely, by impregnating fibers with resin and hardening them, even more robust fiber-reinforced plastics can be created. In the modern aviation industry, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics are commonly used as structural materials, and their use is also spreading in the automotive and maritime industries.

"Yes... Although there are still some uncertainties about its feasibility, the industrial utility is sufficient. It will undoubtedly be recognized as a patent. The next step is to determine how broad the patent claims can be."

The claims of a patent define the scope of protection. The skill of the inventor or patent attorney lies in how broadly they can cover the invention without infringing on others.

"Perhaps a composition of diamines and dicarboxylic acids. I think this is something we need to discuss with the professors at the Imperial University."

In this case, all nylon-type plastics would be protected by the patent. While this would be considered an overreach in modern times, it would likely be acceptable in this era.

"I am not well-versed in chemistry... How about I introduce you to someone knowledgeable in this area?"

"That would be very helpful. Thank you."

Afterward, Yōko received guidance from Takahashi on how to write patent documents in this era and consulted with him about setting up a company to commercialize the invention. Through this meeting, Yōko was able to lay the groundwork for her intervention in history.

Silk: At that time, silk exports were a valuable source of foreign currency for Japan.

Talc: A mineral known as talc, whose fine powder is sometimes used in baby powder.

FRP: Fiber Reinforced Plastic, a composite material reinforced with fibers.

Diamines and dicarboxylic acids: Compounds with two amino groups (-NH2) and two carboxyl groups (-COOH) in a single molecule, respectively.

Upon rereading the early part of the story, I noticed that some characters appeared abruptly and that the usefulness of resin materials was not adequately explained in the story, making the narrative less accessible. Therefore, I have decided to include scenes added in the book version here.

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