As explained in the article, the advantages of Damascus steel is in;
"The carbide particles [that] are extremely hard, and it is
thought that the combination of these bands of hard steel
within a softer matrix of springier steel gives Damascus
weapons a hard cutting edge combined with a tough flexibility"
As I understand it, the Japanese blade smiths achieve the same outcome by laminating a thin layer of very hard steel, which forms the cutting edge, with a soft layer or layers of iron or stainless to provide a cushioning effect for the hard and brittle steel. This seems to me to be a more economical way of achieving the same outcome.