Japanese middle school students in Osaka Prefecture and enrollees in a British high school overcame cultural and geographical differences recently to put on a play together using a videoconference system.

Students at Ikeda Middle School in Osaka and Holy Cross Convent School, a girls' high school in a suburb of London, decided to perform the play together to deepen friendship between them. The two schools have had an exchange program since May 1997.

The play they performed, "Kabuki Gift," combines the style of Japanese kabuki theater with modern American humor. Set in ancient Japan, it is a story of a boy named Roe-nye who embarks on a journey in search of a gift for Ti-ti, the girl he loves.

In preparing for the performance, the Japanese students composed music to be played on the synthesizer by the British students. They also sent detailed designs of traditional Japanese kimonos by e-mail to help the British students create costumes.

The Japanese and British students also held discussions on several occasions through a videoconference system to decide how they should perform their roles.

The play consists of 11 scenes. The Japanese students performed 3 scenes in English, while their British counterparts performed 6 scenes in English and 1 in Japanese. The cast from both schools joined together in performing the final scene. The two groups performed in front of television cameras and watched each other on TV screens.

Ninth grader Go Fujita, who was in charge of composing the music, said, "The British students sometimes used our music in totally unexpected places. I think it's because their culture and way of thinking are very different from ours."

"The students at Holy Cross seem to have a mistaken image of Japan," added Mami Iwane, a ninth grader who played the part of Roe-nye. "The way they bowed and the costumes they made didn't look very Japanese; they were a mixture of Chinese, Korean, and various Asian cultures."

"The students at the two schools are planning another joint project for Christmas.

"Naomi Tsujishita, who is also in ninth grade and helped design the costumes, said, "Exchanges through high-tech systems makes us want to know more about foreign cultures. I hope we continue to have projects like these to deepen mutual understanding. If we can get acquainted with one another through an electronic medium, we can look forward to really getting to know each other when we meet in person. I hope I can visit England soon."

"The exchange program is part of a nationwide project called the Konet Plan to promote friendship through the Internet among 1,000 elementary, middle, and high schools in Japan.

Photo: Japanese students rehearse a scene from the play. (Asahi Chugakusei Weekly)