java - Accessing static method through an object instance -

i have learnt if wish call static method of class have write class name while calling static method. in below program, created object of employee class inside employee_impl class , using object, still able access count method. why allowing me use count method through object if static methods accessed using class name? mean static methods can accessed using objects class name, both?

employee.java

public class employee{     static int counter = 0;     static int count(){     counter++;     return counter;     } } 

employee_impl.java

class employee_impl     public static void main(string args[]){         employee obj = new employee();         system.out.println(obj.count());         system.out.println(employee.count());         system.out.println(obj.count());             } } 

output

1 2 3 

compiler automatically substitutes call call class name of variable (not of it's value!). note, if object null, it work, no nullpointerexception thrown.