" They are playing safe, (and rightly so IMO) because it is far better to avoid a confrontation with the big two than it is to take them on, even if you're in the right.
Personally, I believe there's a possibility that Fender could secure the rights to the scratch plate design on the Strat. I have no inside knowledge about this, it's just my personal feeling. That scratch plate is very distinctive and it does not affect the function or operation of a clone scratch plate if you change it a bit, only the look, so it's reasonable that a cloner should be expected to change it.
This may well be how Tokai is thinking about any of their guitars - it doesn't hurt the guitar to make some changes so why not be safe. I agree with them simply on the basis that I would rather see Japanese guitars go their own path with the different headstocks and things, than continue to clone. Lets face it, LPs, Strats, Teles or ESs are the popular models, so the Japanese guitars should be a bit different, their version, not just a clone. They've got the quality craftsmanship, now I think they could differentiate their models away from the originals, be a genuine option, rather than something where people say "couldn't afford the real thing eh".
they are infatuated with all things American.