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If you use direct allocation yes. Java has great facilities for direct memory management. (Look at the number of libraries like netty and co that exist). The problem with java is more the friction at getting at some of the lower level apis.

Python just has momentum and a fairly easy to use FFI.

>Is there perhaps another factor, such as an existing ecosystem or that it’s widely used in the academic field?

Yes, it's widely used in science in general. Don't underestimate the learning curves of other languages when your audience is scientists and mathematicians. Python is incredibly easy to use, even when using numpy and other scientific tools.

Python has been the language of choice for many physicists (when not doing Fortran) since the early 2000s.