An American college student who went missing eight days ago while on holiday in Japan has been found dead, his family has confirmed.
James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student from Alabama, disappeared on 29 May during a trip to Japan with his parents and younger brother. He had decided to explore Kyoto alone while his family visited a temple.
His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced the news on Facebook, saying her son was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside Kyoto. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” she wrote, adding the family would “always love you, Weston”.
Weston, an experienced hiker, was last seen on CCTV around 8pm walking alone in a wooded area of Yamashina ward, near Kyoto, just before a storm. Initial searches involving 100 police officers, dogs and helicopters found no trace. His parents had tracked his phone via a GPS app but received no reply.
Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts described Weston as a “valued member of the Auburn Family” and offered condolences. The family had previously planned to hire a private search team and vowed not to leave Japan until he was found.
