Overview
- James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20‑year‑old Auburn University student, was last confirmed on Friday, May 29 after CCTV and phone activity placed him at Yamashina Station in Kyoto.
- Japanese police deployed roughly 50 officers, K‑9 teams and helicopters to search wooded trails north of Yamashina on June 3, but heavy rain and steep terrain limited coverage.
- The family, who are in Kyoto working with authorities, say his last known purchase was at a local Kohnan hardware store and urge anyone who sees him to contact local police rather than post locations online.
- Relatives describe Higginbotham as an experienced hiker who may have sought nearby trails and say he may be emotionally distressed, a factor that makes a rapid, local response urgent.
- Auburn University and U.S. consular channels have been notified and offered support, and the family is asking for help getting Weston's image into Japanese media and local networks so residents can look for him.