TOKYO — The body of a missing 20-year-old American college student was found in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, Japan, on Saturday, ending a weeklong search, his family and Japanese authorities said.
James “Weston” Higginbotham, a junior at Auburn University in Alabama, was reported missing on May 29 while on a family vacation in Kyoto. A volunteer search-and-rescue team located his body in rugged terrain near the city, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, said in a social media post.
Higginbotham had been traveling with his parents and younger brother to celebrate the brother’s high school graduation. He separated from the family on May 29 near Yamashina Station in Kyoto and went exploring alone, according to police and family statements. His phone location stopped sharing shortly afterward.
Japanese police, assisted by volunteers, dogs and helicopters, conducted extensive searches in the forested mountainous areas despite challenging weather conditions, including typhoon-related rains. No evidence of foul play has been reported.
The family expressed deep grief in public statements. “Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside Kyoto,” Nancy Higginbotham wrote. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”
Auburn University issued a statement mourning the loss of its student. Officials described Higginbotham as a biosystems engineering major from Hoover, Alabama, and offered condolences to his family and friends.
Kyoto Prefectural Police said investigations into the circumstances of his death were continuing. Details on the cause of death remained unclear as of Sunday, with an autopsy expected.
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said it was providing assistance to the family and monitoring the situation. “Our thoughts are with the Higginbotham family during this incredibly difficult time,” an embassy spokesperson said.
Higginbotham was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and lavender corduroy pants. The family had actively appealed for public help during the search, which drew significant attention in both the United States and Japan.
As of Sunday, the family was coordinating with authorities on repatriation arrangements. Funeral details had not been announced.
