Why does the "protected" modifier in Java allow access to other classes in same package?

What is the reason that in Java, a member with a "protected" modifier can not only be accessed by the same class and by subclasses, but also by everyone in the same package?

I am wondering about language design reasons, not actual applications (e.g., testing)

This design is based on the idea that the package is the appropriate unit, maintained and released by one internally consistent team; inheritance relationships have much less to do with who's maintaining and releasing what when.