PublicInstance Singleton in Java. Why is it not a lazy initialization?

Main.java

package mian;

import sample.PublicInstance;

public class Main {

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		System.out.println(PublicInstance.STRING);
	}

}

Ountput.txt

PublicInstance() from 1
Lorem

Ountput_2.txt

// when STRING is final

Lorem

See? The PublicInstance() constructor wasn't called.
final matters :)

PublicInstance.java

package sample;

public class PublicInstance {

	public static String STRING = "Lorem";
	public static final PublicInstance INSTANCE = new PublicInstance();

	private PublicInstance() {
		System.out.println("PublicInstance() from " + Thread.currentThread().getId());
	}

}

Hmm.. But with public static String STRING = new String("Lorem"); PublicInstance() will be called.