It is nothing like the real Java. Almost no regular data type is supported and there are severe limitations. [1]

You should view it as using a safe language instead of something like C. If Rust had been invented 20 years ago, it might have been Rust instead.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Card

The secure element on iOS devices is a Java Card (https://www.apple.com/business/site/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.... p. 47).

Basically all smart cards use Java Card. There's an ISO standard, so I'm sure it's possible to implement your card in other environments, but everyone uses Java Card.

Because these practices were set in the mid-to-late-90's when it was fashionable to Java all the things