FEATURE: Changing perceptions: Japanese schools embrace sunglasses beyond fashion

TOKYO - As strong August sunlight beat down outside, seven students at a private girls' secondary school in Tokyo gathered around a classroom table, picking up and comparing several pairs of sunglasses to see which shapes and colors would best suit their school uniform.

The students, members of an industry-school project focused on protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays, were helping develop an original pair of sunglasses for Joshi Seigakuin Junior & Senior High School as part of an effort to make eye protection a more routine part of school life.