FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
JRE (not JDK) jre-6u4-windows-i586-p.exe, jre-6u5-windows-i586-p.exe, and latest early access jre-6u10-beta-bin-b13-windows-i586-p-06_mar_2008.exe. this bug is not present in JRE 6 updates 3 and less.

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
This bug is the same as "closed" bug: http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6481282

in this report, it is stated "This has been fixed . Please can you confirm with latest nightly or b31.
Posted Date : 2007-01-16"

Apparently, this fix has not made it into the JRE yet, and it is affecting a major release of a Eclipse RCP app that is launched via JWS. Here is the pertinent part of the stack trace:

Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: com.sun.xml.internal.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings != com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings
at java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.SOAPFactoryImpl.<clinit>(SOAPFactoryImpl.java:52)

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
call a web service using WS* that uses saaj

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
sucessful web service call
ACTUAL -
java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.updateSession(LoginDialog.java:276)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.doLogin(LoginDialog.java:412)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.okPressed(LoginDialog.java:348)
at org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.Dialog.buttonPressed(Dialog.java:508)
at org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.Dialog$3.widgetSelected(Dialog.java:660)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.TypedListener.handleEvent(TypedListener.java:90)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:66)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:928)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:3348)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:2968)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.runEventLoop(Window.java:820)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.open(Window.java:796)
at com.vitalchek.vps.application.Application.run(Application.java:48)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.runtime.PlatformActivator$1.run(PlatformActivator.java:78)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:92)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:68)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:400)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:177)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:336)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:280)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.WebStartMain.basicRun(WebStartMain.java:63)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:977)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.WebStartMain.main(WebStartMain.java:42)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeApplication(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeMainClass(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.doLaunchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Class.newInstance0(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Class.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.FactoryFinder.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.FactoryFinder.find(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.SOAPFactory.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.misc.SecurityHeaderBlockImpl.<clinit>(SecurityHeaderBlockImpl.java:76)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.filter.AuthenticationTokenFilter.addUserNameTokenToMessage(AuthenticationTokenFilter.java:468)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.filter.AuthenticationTokenFilter.processUserNameToken(AuthenticationTokenFilter.java:84)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.HarnessUtil.processWSSPolicy(HarnessUtil.java:90)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.HarnessUtil.processDeep(HarnessUtil.java:249)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.SecurityAnnotator.processMessagePolicy(SecurityAnnotator.java:172)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.SecurityAnnotator.secureMessage(SecurityAnnotator.java:133)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.misc.XWSSProcessor2_0Impl.secureOutboundMessage(XWSSProcessor2_0Impl.java:94)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.secureClient(SecurityHandler.java:93)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.handleMessage(SecurityHandler.java:68)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.handleMessage(SecurityHandler.java:1)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerProcessor.callHandleMessage(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerProcessor.callHandlersRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.ClientSOAPHandlerTube.callHandlersOnRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerTube.processRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.__doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber._doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.runSync(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.Stub.process(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SEIStub.doProcess(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SyncMethodHandler.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SyncMethodHandler.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SEIStub.invoke(Unknown Source)
at $Proxy33.findUser(Unknown Source)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClientProxy.UserServiceProxy.getUser(UserServiceProxy.java:77)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.updateSession(LoginDialog.java:267)
... 35 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: com.sun.xml.internal.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings != com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings
at java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.SOAPFactoryImpl.<clinit>(SOAPFactoryImpl.java:52)

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.updateSession(LoginDialog.java:276)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.doLogin(LoginDialog.java:412)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.okPressed(LoginDialog.java:348)
at org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.Dialog.buttonPressed(Dialog.java:508)
at org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.Dialog$3.widgetSelected(Dialog.java:660)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.TypedListener.handleEvent(TypedListener.java:90)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.EventTable.sendEvent(EventTable.java:66)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Widget.sendEvent(Widget.java:928)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.runDeferredEvents(Display.java:3348)
at org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display.readAndDispatch(Display.java:2968)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.runEventLoop(Window.java:820)
at org.eclipse.jface.window.Window.open(Window.java:796)
at com.vitalchek.vps.application.Application.run(Application.java:48)
at org.eclipse.core.internal.runtime.PlatformActivator$1.run(PlatformActivator.java:78)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:92)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:68)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:400)
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:177)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:336)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:280)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.WebStartMain.basicRun(WebStartMain.java:63)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:977)
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.WebStartMain.main(WebStartMain.java:42)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeApplication(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.executeMainClass(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.doLaunchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Class.newInstance0(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Class.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.FactoryFinder.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.FactoryFinder.find(Unknown Source)
at javax.xml.soap.SOAPFactory.newInstance(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.misc.SecurityHeaderBlockImpl.<clinit>(SecurityHeaderBlockImpl.java:76)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.filter.AuthenticationTokenFilter.addUserNameTokenToMessage(AuthenticationTokenFilter.java:468)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.filter.AuthenticationTokenFilter.processUserNameToken(AuthenticationTokenFilter.java:84)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.HarnessUtil.processWSSPolicy(HarnessUtil.java:90)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.HarnessUtil.processDeep(HarnessUtil.java:249)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.SecurityAnnotator.processMessagePolicy(SecurityAnnotator.java:172)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.SecurityAnnotator.secureMessage(SecurityAnnotator.java:133)
at com.sun.xml.wss.impl.misc.XWSSProcessor2_0Impl.secureOutboundMessage(XWSSProcessor2_0Impl.java:94)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.secureClient(SecurityHandler.java:93)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.handleMessage(SecurityHandler.java:68)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClient.wshandlers.SecurityHandler.handleMessage(SecurityHandler.java:1)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerProcessor.callHandleMessage(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerProcessor.callHandlersRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.ClientSOAPHandlerTube.callHandlersOnRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.handler.HandlerTube.processRequest(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.__doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber._doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.doRun(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.api.pipe.Fiber.runSync(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.Stub.process(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SEIStub.doProcess(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SyncMethodHandler.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SyncMethodHandler.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.internal.ws.client.sei.SEIStub.invoke(Unknown Source)
at $Proxy33.findUser(Unknown Source)
at com.vitalchek.vps.wsClientProxy.UserServiceProxy.getUser(UserServiceProxy.java:77)
at com.vitalchek.vps.common.ui.dialog.LoginDialog.updateSession(LoginDialog.java:267)
... 35 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: com.sun.xml.internal.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings != com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.LocalStrings
at java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.xml.messaging.saaj.soap.SOAPFactoryImpl.<clinit>(SOAPFactoryImpl.java:52)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
install JRE 6U3 or earlier.