The basic idea is assumed references are absent or wrong at runtime. Since the binary workbook macro runs from Java, debugging it is already a layer removed.
The fix was to specify the workbook:
ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Rows(1).Delete
Usually, I just call the subroutine and all that, everywhere. It was okay until now. Now, I have to think about this; the difficulty is compounded by not being locally reproducible. “Works on my machine!” Ha.