Student Found Deceased in Japan
Alabama College Student James Higginbotham Found Deceased in Japan After Massive Search
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James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student from Alabama, has been found dead in a mountainous area near Kyoto, Japan, his family confirmed. His body was discovered on June 6, 2026, after a week-long search that involved more than 100 police officers, K-9 teams, and volunteers — and was ultimately completed by a private volunteer group after Japanese authorities scaled back official efforts. CBS News reported the cause of death remains under investigation.
Weston had gone missing on May 29 after separating from his family during a graduation trip. His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced the discovery on Facebook late that night, Japan time. "We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston," she wrote, asking for privacy as the family faces "this unimaginable loss," according to CBS News.
How Weston Vanished in the Kyoto Mountains
The Higginbotham family — parents Nancy and Keith, and sons Weston and Grayton — arrived in Japan on May 22 to celebrate Grayton's high school graduation. On May 29, a disagreement broke out at lunch. Weston, an environmental engineering student, objected to his mother using ChatGPT for navigation, citing the AI tool's heavy water and energy use, according to The Indian Express. He then chose to explore Kyoto alone while his family visited a nearby temple.
CCTV cameras captured Weston leaving Kyoto Station at 6:00 PM. His last confirmed sighting was at 8:00 PM, walking alone near the Yamashina area — a mountainous zone on the border of Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. At 8:29 PM, his phone lost its signal, according to IBTimes UK. He was described by family as an experienced hiker and "lover of Mother Nature."
Typhoon, Mud, and a Search That Almost Stopped
Japanese police launched a massive search starting May 30. But a powerful typhoon swept through the region, forcing teams to wade through waist-deep mud in dense forest terrain. The search was difficult from the start. The Yamashina forests are steep and thick — hard for helicopters and K-9 dogs to penetrate, according to CBS News.
By June 5, Kyoto Prefectural Police scaled back the official search. Authorities concluded that Weston had likely "walked away on his own," treating the case as a voluntary disappearance. The Higginbotham family rejected that theory entirely. They said Weston was likely lost or injured — not hiding. They began organizing a private volunteer search and were prepared to spend over $100,000 on professional rescue teams, according to CBS News.
Volunteers Find Weston After Police Stand Down
On the morning of June 6, a volunteer search-and-rescue group — including experienced hikers — began combing the Yamashina forests independently, according to The Auburn Plainsman. The effort succeeded where the official search had not. Weston's body was found in a mountainous area outside Kyoto. Nancy Higginbotham broke the news on Facebook at 11:40 PM Japan time.
Childhood friend Hiyu Shikari, a Japanese native, had helped raise awareness during the search, according to LADbible. The U.S. Embassy and FBI provided diplomatic support and coordinated with Japanese authorities. Auburn University issued a statement: "Our thoughts are with Weston, his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time," according to Quartz.
What Comes Next: Autopsy, Repatriation, and Questions
Because the cause of death is unknown, Japanese law requires a judicial autopsy to rule out foul play. The U.S. Embassy will help the family bring Weston home, typically through cremation or embalming before transport, according to U.S. Embassy guidelines. A prayer vigil drew hundreds at Asbury United Methodist Church in Hoover, Alabama, as the community grieved, according to 1819 News.
The case has drawn attention to the gap between official and family-led search efforts in Japan. Japan records roughly 80,000 missing persons a year, and police sometimes classify cases as voluntary disappearance — a concept tied to the Japanese term *johatsu*, or "evaporated people." That classification frustrated the Higginbotham family for days and may prompt a closer look at how foreign nationals are handled in future missing persons cases, according to CTV News.
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