Preconfigure fails for j2re1.4 on debian testing

I keep getting an error message when I try to install j2re1.4. It says it 
it failed to preconfigure with exit status 10 (see below). I am following 
the instructions at 
http://www.blackdown.org/java-linux/java2-status/jdk1.4-status.html.

I've also done these things before trying to install:
# apt-get update
# apt-get -u upgrade
# apt-get -u dist-upgrade


Here is a copy of what happens when I try to  install:


# apt-get install j2re1.4
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Suggested packages:
   mozilla-browser mozilla-firefox galeon ttf-kochi-gothic
   ttf-kochi-mincho
Recommended packages:
   gsfonts-x11 libasound2 libxi6 xlibs libxp6 libxtst6
The following NEW packages will be installed:
   j2re1.4
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/22.5MB of archives.
After unpacking 59.8MB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
j2re1.4 failed to preconfigure, with exit status 10
(Reading database ...
dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `java-common' missing, 
assuming package has no files currently installed.
16978 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking j2re1.4 (from .../j2re1.4_1.4.2.01-1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/j2re1.4_1.4.2.01-1_i386.deb 
(--unpack):
  subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 10
Errors were encountered while processing:
  /var/cache/apt/archives/j2re1.4_1.4.2.01-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
z 


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