It doesn't look like you're interesting in anything except following your own mantra of "Java suxx", but XML configuration files (which were never really about working around the type system) have been almost universally replaced by annotations.
I know about annotations, but I admit to not being the biggest fan. And they lead to even more files...
How so? I've only ever seen them eliminate external configuration files. Hell, thanks to annotations and some simplifications to the standard, EJBs have turned from the epitome of overengineered bloat into a simple, lean service layer.
Annotations have only ever led to less files for me