java version "1.6.0_16"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_16-b01)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 14.2-b01, mixed mode, sharing)

Does this problem occur on J2SE 5.0.x or 6.0? Yes / No (pick one)
Yes

Operating System Configuration Information (be specific):
Client: Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

Bug Description:
Different Look and Feels are not following the JTabbedPane's JavaDoc

Tested the 5 Look and Feels installed by uncommenting each of them one by one.

Here are the results:
Metal: The selected tab is not using the specified background
       (foreground, unselected tab backgrounds and icons are fine)

Nimbus: No tabs are using the specified background, or the specified
        foreground and the icons are placed in strange locations

Motif: The unselected tabs are not using the specified background
       (foreground, selected tab background and icons are fine)

Windows: No tabs are using the specified background
        (foreground and icons are fine)

Window Classic: (background, foreground and icons are all fine)

As can be seen all 5 look and feels do 5 different things making it very difficult
to use the JTabbedPane so that it looks ok using all 5 Look and Feels.

Nimbus is by far the worst.

import static java.awt.Color.*;
import static javax.swing.JFrame.*;
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class Test {
  private static void addTab(JTabbedPane aTabbedPane, int anIndex) {
    aTabbedPane.addTab("Tab " + anIndex, new Icon() {
      @Override
      public void paintIcon(Component aComponent, Graphics aGraphics, int anX, int aY) {
        aGraphics.setColor(BLUE);
        aGraphics.fillOval(anX, aY, 8, 8);
      }

      @Override
      public int getIconWidth() {
        return 8;
      }

      @Override
      public int getIconHeight() {
        return 8;
      }
    }, new JLabel("Component " + anIndex));
    aTabbedPane.setForegroundAt(anIndex, RED);
    aTabbedPane.setBackgroundAt(anIndex, YELLOW);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    // UIManager.setLookAndFeel("javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel");
    UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.nimbus.NimbusLookAndFeel");
    // UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifLookAndFeel");
    // UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsLookAndFeel");
    // UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.windows.WindowsClassicLookAndFeel");
    JTabbedPane tabbedPane = new JTabbedPane();
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
      addTab(tabbedPane, i);
    }
    JFrame frame = new JFrame();
    frame.add(tabbedPane);
    frame.setSize(500, 500);
    frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    frame.setVisible(true);
  }
}