James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham was in Japan with his family when he went missing. Now, his parents Nancy and Keith, are searching for him. James’ mother posted on the Kyoto Expats and Internationals group on Facebook yesterday, looking for the 20-year-old from Auburn University who was on his graduation trip.
The family noted that James was last confirmed to be in the Kyoto area on May 29. While James’ parents search for him, they organized a prayer vigil from 6:30pm until 8pm at Asbury United Methodist Church on Cahaba Valley Road in Birmingham, Alabama, today. “Please be kind. We are in our own living hell. He is not detained from a night out partying. The police have confirmed this. Please, I beg you, be kind. I’m already in so much pain,” James’ mother, Nancy wrote.
Here’s all you need to know about the missing student, James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham.
James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham: 5 things to know
- James is an honors graduate from Spain Park High School. His last confirmed purchase location was at a Kohnan, a hardware store in the Kyoto area. His last phone activity was on the evening of May 29.
- James may have been traveling by train. He ‘may be emotionally distressed’, his mother noted in her post for help.
- James is 185cm (6′ 1″) in height and has blonde long hair and blue eyes. His ears are pierced with silver hoops.
- James was last seen wearing a shirt, which had a white front, and ‘Save the Bees’ written on the back with two bumblebees, his mother shared. Nancy added that he had a lavender corduroy pants with a large cuff on and was wearing a ‘beat up adidas white with black stripes and wide shoelaces’. James’ mother also said that he was carrying a shoulder bag with the state of Alabama on it.
- James is vegan, studying environmental engineering, and is an excellent student, his mother wrote. She claimed he’s very well traveled and an excellent navigator as well.
Nancy suggested that one should look for James in hotels, hostels, capsule hotels, internet cafés, manga cafés, train stations and platforms, convenience stores, hiking areas, rivers, bridges, temples, shrines, parks, and quiet areas. She also suggested to look in any place near Kyoto, Otsu, Lake Biwa, Yamashina, Shiga, or train lines heading east from Kyoto.
In a later update it was shared that the location had been narrowed down to Yamashina station per CCTV.
“The police have narrowed it down to Weston getting off at the Yamashina station. We don’t know if he got back on the train at any point. Weston is a very experienced hiker and this town has beautiful nature trails. He may have intentionally chosen a quiet trail from Yamashina, especially Bishamon-do, Lake Biwa Canal, Misasagi, Keage/Nanzen-ji, Kyoto Trail, Mount Otowa, or Daigo/Kami-Daigo,” James’ mother said.
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“I know there is a typhoon currently hitting, but I will be there today searching the woods today. My husband and I went last night with flashlights and headlamps and didn’t get too far because we weren’t prepared for the wildlife we encountered. If anyone wants to join us after the storm, I would be grateful,” she added.
State Representative Mike Shaw also commented on James’ disappearance.
“Many people have reached out to regarding Weston Higgenbotham, the young man missing in Kyoto, Japan. Our daughter lived in Japan for 2 years, and our family has visited several times–including Kyoto. I also chair the Japan Legislative Exchange in the House of Representatives. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. Its people are some of the friendliest and most helpful you’ll ever meet. They are masters at collaboration in times of crisis. While all that’s encouraging, we know this is a stressful time and people want a positive resolution,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Representative Susan DuBose and I have been in touch with Mark B. Jackson; Honorary Consul General of Japan and the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta. We understand that the appropriate resources are engaged and searching for Weston. Let’s all pray for Weston’s safe return, for strength and peace for his family, and for wisdom and endurance for everyone involved in the search,” the Republican lawmaker added.
