That is so like the Japanese.  They have a propensity for cleanliness and neatness. Next thing you know they will be having us take our shoes off before we enter space :>)  Jim

I'm already well trained by the TSA when flying a commercial airline on the shoe thing, so no biggee.  IMHO, it's more than an academic question.  For some the web materials I mentioned,  I believe that NASA is already replacing two shuttle windows on each flight from micro-strike damage.  They had to add extra armoring on the ISS to absorb the micro impacts. - Kurt