Perl vs Java - your feedback, not flames

Before you jump into it taking one side or the other, let me clarify a few things right up front. This is not a flame war. I need to decide on a platform for a decent size system that I am going to be designing soon, and I am seeking your input. Yes, I Googled it and have found some very valuable inputs, but it is nicer to have your peers' point of view as well.

So, if you have any good/bad experience(s) with one or the other, please feel free to share it with me. I'd appreciate it.

I believe, a lot depends on what project (in terms of size, timeline, domain, etc.) are we talking about here. Here is an overview of the system:

- Backend IS MySQL

- Programming language MUST be either Perl or Java, on Linux
  -- if Perl, it will be with mod_perl
  -- if Java, it will be servlets with Tomcat

- App is 
  -- extremely search intensive
  -- extremely complex algorithms to be used on server side
  -- no room for slow interface

Personally, I am inclined towards Perl because

- it has a faster turnaround time i.e. code, test, and code again. No compilations.
- with coding standards in place and 'must document' policy, code complexity, and obscurity can be minimized.
- it is easily/everywhere supported by all ISPs. ISP offering Tomcat is hard/expensive to find.

Regards,
Nishi