Nikon Asia also claims there is no problem with the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens

This is the direct link (in Chinese) to a Nikon Asia Q&A entry. Rough translation:

Question:

Why does the internals of the lens look so rough? Will the bubble-like stuffs affect the PQ?  Will they shed off and accumulated in the lens?

Answer:

The bubbles were the remains during the production of the lens.  They are magnified through the lens so look obvious.  It will not affect PQ and will not accumulate.

fyi: pictures of my 70-200 VRII lens with a perfect “thread”: picture 1 | picture 2.