Japan wax

Pale yellow, soft, waxy substance obtained from the berries of Toxicodendron vernicifluum, the sumac tree native to Japan, and Toxicodendron succedaneum. It is not a true wax, but a fat. Japan wax is a byproduct of lacquer manufacture; it contains palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid with japanic acid. Japan wax is sold in flat squares or disks and has a rancid odor. It is used in the manufacture of candles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, floor waxes, furniture polishes, pastels, crayons, buffing compounds, metal lubricants, adhesives, and as a substitute for beeswax.