I think the Japanese have a bad case of Nasoidal Americitus. They don't seem to understand that technical sophistication is only a means to an end, not an end in itself. Sure, the Chinese aren't especially sophisticated: one family of recoverable satellites used oak planks as heat shields. And they worked very well, thank you very much (the char produced an acceptable heat shield). Meanwhile, the Space Shuttle is very technically sophisticated -- and we know where that has gotten us -- and the X-33/Venturestar was so technically sophisticated that nobody could even figure out how to put it together, much less fly the darned things.

At least the Japanese are able to get their technically sophisticated rockets off the ground. Although it does seem like a curiously expensive way to send X-ray telescopes and micro-sized space planes to the bottom of the Pacific.

Cheers,

Nathan.