In all fairness, I don't think that Ducati servicing prices are any worse than your standard Jap machine.
It's just that not many owners tend to have their machines serviced by factory mechanics because it's seen as a "disposable" bike rather than a classic machine like a Ducati is.
Obviously the servicing intervals on a UJM is much bigger, but check the prices of a major and minor service at an official dealer and you might be surprised!
Ducatis are usually owned by enthusiasts who want to enjoy their bikes and have a bit of passion about the whole thing. Jap machines are usually owned by people who want to either go quickly on the latest machine with this year's paint job, or who simply want to get from A to B.
Reliability is not an issue with the newer bikes if you look after them. It's because they're much more focussed bikes and the tolerances are that much tighter so they need to be looked after properly.
PJ748R puts it quite well with his comments about Halfrauds!
