Puzzle: Interface Initialization of constants doesn't occur???

Question

The below gives a java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError when 'ExitRun' class is executed, but successfully passes when 'Exit' class is run. I am scratching my head. :-(
/*Exit.java*/
public final class Exit {
    private static int cnt = 0;
    public static interface Code {
        int SUCCESS = cnt--;
        int IO_ERROR = cnt--;
    private static final String[] messages;
    static class Init implements Code {
        static {System.out.println(IO_ERROR);}
    static {
        new Init();
        messages = new String[-cnt];
        messages[-Code.SUCCESS] = "Successful Completion";
        messages[-Code.IO_ERROR] = "I/O Error";
    public static final String message(int code) {
        return messages[-code];
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        System.out.println(Exit.message(Exit.Code.IO_ERROR));
/*ExitTest.java*/
public class ExitTest  {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        System.out.println(Exit.message(Exit.Code.IO_ERROR));
}

Answer 1

Ok..I know the reason why this is happening, but I
don't know why this should be happening.
It's just that the static initializers of Exit aren't
run...(the class isn't loaded?) when ExitTest.main()
is executed.Yes.
>
But why should that be the case? The interace members
do reference a non-constant field from
m their parent type...which should cause the
parent class to load and the static-initializers of
the parent class run before further
initialization of the interface occurs. I thought the
language spec agrees with me here as well.
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/
execution.html#12.4.1You mean parent as in containing class? I don't see where it says that. Can you please clarify?