It has been one week since James “Weston” Higginbotham disappeared during a family trip in Japan.The search is amplifying for him, with the thought that he could be in the woods without food and in emotional distress.Higginbotham is a 20-year-old student at Auburn University. He was last confirmed in the Kyoto area on Friday, May 29. He went off on his own after a disagreement with his mom over the environmental consequences of using ChatGPT to plan parts of their trip.Authorities are treating his disappearance as a missing persons case, as there is currently no evidence suggesting there has been a crime, officers told CNN.The Latest Updates The family got permission to launch their own search party in Shiga.Additional surveillance footage may show Weston getting off at a different train station.A map shows the area where police have searched for Weston. Hikers are being asked to help search outside of those zones, especially on the surrounding mountains and remote trails.Weston’s father, Keith, said recent quotes about Weston “deliberately” leaving are false, adding that Kyoto police did not provide the quote, nor would they make a similar statement about any investigation.Anyone who sees Higginbotham is asked not to publicly post his location but instead contact local police immediately and then notify the family.The searchWeston’s parents got permission Friday to launch their own search party in Shiga.Officials are continuing to search the mountains near Bishamondo with helicopters and K-9s. That is the area where police used surveillance video to piece together his movements and find Weston’s last location. Below is a look at the search.As the search continues, the family is also dealing with difficult weather conditions. A typhoon moved through the region Tuesday, complicating efforts to search trails and wooded areas.The woods are also extremely dense and the hiking routes are full of steep, difficult terrain.Hikers are being asked to help search the areas that are not in the official search region, especially remote trails. Ordinary Japanese civilians have also pitched in to help, according to CNN.“It almost brings me to tears, of what these Japanese people have done for us,” Higginbotham told CNN, describing volunteers who traveled hours by train to hand out flyers, or who helped act as translators at various police stations. Video below: Parents of Auburn student missing in Japan discuss the search “We have all the hope that he’s going to be found somewhere,” said Weston’s father, Keith. “He pops up at another train station, I don’t know – but until we find him, one way or another, he’s out there, he’s moving somewhere, and we’re going to find him.”What we know happenedThe family was on vacation when Weston and his mother got into a disagreement over the ramifications of using ChatGPT to navigate their trip. He decided to explore Kyoto on his own, saying he needed some space.“It’s not unusual for Weston to blow off steam going to the woods and just exploring. That’s his happy place,” Higginbotham told CNN. “I’m thinking … he’s just off in the woods, and he got lost.”Weston typically shares his location with his family on the app Life360, which offered some clues to his whereabouts before he went missing.“While we were visiting a temple, Weston gets on a train,” Higginbotham said. “We’re texting him, saying, ‘Hey, where are you?’ You know, ‘What are you doing?’” The family saw through the app that Weston stopped by a few stores before jumping back on the train – then his location was turned off.That was alarming and “so out of character,” Higginbotham said. He had never turned off his location before. By 2 a.m., with no sign of Weston, the family reported him missing to local authorities.Though the Yamashina train station is fairly small, it’s connected to four train lines and is one stop away from Kyoto’s main station. The Yamashina area lies on the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures and is surrounded by mountains, including the heavily forested Higashiyama mountain range.Weston Higginbotham was confirmed to have made a purchase at a Kohnan hardware store in the Kyoto area. Family members believe he was traveling east from Kyoto on a local train along the Biwako Line, also known as the Tokaido Main Line, or the Kosei Line.His mother said she is concerned he may be in emotional distress. Speaking from Kyoto, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham said volunteers, social media users and complete strangers have played a critical role in helping the family search for Weston.Help neededNow, she says, the family’s biggest challenge is getting Weston’s photo and story in front of more Japanese residents.”I need Japanese media contacts,” she said on Tuesday. “My biggest hurdle is getting it out to Japanese residents.”While social media has helped spread information across the United States, Keith believes reaching more people in Japan is imperative, because they are the ones most likely to encounter Weston if he is moving through the area.”He stands out in the crowd, because he looks nothing like everyone else here, with his blond hair and his height,” he said. “So he is easy to locate if you just know to look for him. So getting in front of more people here so that they know to look for him is key.”On Wednesday, Nancy Higginbotham posted on social media, “We finally reached our ultimate media goal- we are on CNN International spreading Weston’s picture and story and CNN Tokyo is coming to our apartment in Kyoto now. We also just finished an interview with The Japan Times. Getting Weston’s picture in front of Japanese citizens is key.”About James HigginbothamHigginbotham is described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall with long blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a shirt with a white front and the words “Save the Bees” with two bumblebees on the back, lavender corduroy pants with a large cuff, and worn white Adidas shoes with black stripes and wide shoelaces.He was carrying a shoulder bag featuring the outline of the state of Alabama.”If anyone knows Weston, he’s a vegan pacifist. He doesn’t even kill mosquitoes,” his mother said. “He’s the nicest child.”Because of his experience and independence, Nancy said there was little reason for concern when he spent time on his own during the family’s trip.A Spain Park High School graduate and Auburn student studying environmental engineering, Higginbotham is described by his mother as an excellent student, experienced traveler and skilled navigator. He is also an avid hiker. Support in AlabamaAlabama State Rep. Mike Shaw said he and State Rep. Susan DuBose have been in contact with Mark B. Jackson, honorary consul general of Japan, and the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta regarding the search.Shaw, who chairs the Japan Legislative Exchange in the Alabama House of Representatives, said officials have been assured that “appropriate resources” have been engaged in the search for Higginbotham.”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,” he said. As his family searches for answers overseas, support is growing back home in Central Alabama, where loved ones, friends and community members gathered Tuesday at Asbury United Methodist Church to pray for his safe return.Listen to Weston’s parents thank people for their support below.At the prayer gathering, that hope was at the center of every message. Higginbotham’s family is working to spread word of his disappearance as widely as possible and hopes anyone with information will come forward. They say they are thankful for the support they have received so far and are asking people to continue praying for his safe return.This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.
It has been one week since James “Weston” Higginbotham disappeared during a family trip in Japan.
The search is amplifying for him, with the thought that he could be in the woods without food and in emotional distress.
Higginbotham is a 20-year-old student at Auburn University. He was last confirmed in the Kyoto area on Friday, May 29. He went off on his own after a disagreement with his mom over the environmental consequences of using ChatGPT to plan parts of their trip.
Authorities are treating his disappearance as a missing persons case, as there is currently no evidence suggesting there has been a crime, officers told CNN.
The Latest Updates
- The family got permission to launch their own search party in Shiga.
- Additional surveillance footage may show Weston getting off at a different train station.
- A map shows the area where police have searched for Weston. Hikers are being asked to help search outside of those zones, especially on the surrounding mountains and remote trails.
- Weston’s father, Keith, said recent quotes about Weston “deliberately” leaving are false, adding that Kyoto police did not provide the quote, nor would they make a similar statement about any investigation.
Anyone who sees Higginbotham is asked not to publicly post his location but instead contact local police immediately and then notify the family.
The search
Weston’s parents got permission Friday to launch their own search party in Shiga.
Officials are continuing to search the mountains near Bishamondo with helicopters and K-9s.
That is the area where police used surveillance video to piece together his movements and find Weston’s last location.
Below is a look at the search.
As the search continues, the family is also dealing with difficult weather conditions. A typhoon moved through the region Tuesday, complicating efforts to search trails and wooded areas.
The woods are also extremely dense and the hiking routes are full of steep, difficult terrain.
Hikers are being asked to help search the areas that are not in the official search region, especially remote trails.
Ordinary Japanese civilians have also pitched in to help, according to CNN.
“It almost brings me to tears, of what these Japanese people have done for us,” Higginbotham told CNN, describing volunteers who traveled hours by train to hand out flyers, or who helped act as translators at various police stations.
Video below: Parents of Auburn student missing in Japan discuss the search
“We have all the hope that he’s going to be found somewhere,” said Weston’s father, Keith. “He pops up at another train station, I don’t know – but until we find him, one way or another, he’s out there, he’s moving somewhere, and we’re going to find him.”
What we know happened
The family was on vacation when Weston and his mother got into a disagreement over the ramifications of using ChatGPT to navigate their trip. He decided to explore Kyoto on his own, saying he needed some space.
“It’s not unusual for Weston to blow off steam going to the woods and just exploring. That’s his happy place,” Higginbotham told CNN. “I’m thinking … he’s just off in the woods, and he got lost.”
Weston typically shares his location with his family on the app Life360, which offered some clues to his whereabouts before he went missing.
“While we were visiting a temple, Weston gets on a train,” Higginbotham said. “We’re texting him, saying, ‘Hey, where are you?’ You know, ‘What are you doing?’” The family saw through the app that Weston stopped by a few stores before jumping back on the train – then his location was turned off.
That was alarming and “so out of character,” Higginbotham said. He had never turned off his location before. By 2 a.m., with no sign of Weston, the family reported him missing to local authorities.
Though the Yamashina train station is fairly small, it’s connected to four train lines and is one stop away from Kyoto’s main station. The Yamashina area lies on the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures and is surrounded by mountains, including the heavily forested Higashiyama mountain range.
Weston Higginbotham was confirmed to have made a purchase at a Kohnan hardware store in the Kyoto area. Family members believe he was traveling east from Kyoto on a local train along the Biwako Line, also known as the Tokaido Main Line, or the Kosei Line.
His mother said she is concerned he may be in emotional distress.
Speaking from Kyoto, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham said volunteers, social media users and complete strangers have played a critical role in helping the family search for Weston.
Help needed
Now, she says, the family’s biggest challenge is getting Weston’s photo and story in front of more Japanese residents.
“I need Japanese media contacts,” she said on Tuesday. “My biggest hurdle is getting it out to Japanese residents.”
While social media has helped spread information across the United States, Keith believes reaching more people in Japan is imperative, because they are the ones most likely to encounter Weston if he is moving through the area.
“He stands out in the crowd, because he looks nothing like everyone else here, with his blond hair and his height,” he said. “So he is easy to locate if you just know to look for him. So getting in front of more people here so that they know to look for him is key.”
On Wednesday, Nancy Higginbotham posted on social media, “We finally reached our ultimate media goal- we are on CNN International spreading Weston’s picture and story and CNN Tokyo is coming to our apartment in Kyoto now. We also just finished an interview with The Japan Times. Getting Weston’s picture in front of Japanese citizens is key.”
About James Higginbotham
Higginbotham is described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall with long blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a shirt with a white front and the words “Save the Bees” with two bumblebees on the back, lavender corduroy pants with a large cuff, and worn white Adidas shoes with black stripes and wide shoelaces.
He was carrying a shoulder bag featuring the outline of the state of Alabama.
“If anyone knows Weston, he’s a vegan pacifist. He doesn’t even kill mosquitoes,” his mother said. “He’s the nicest child.”
Because of his experience and independence, Nancy said there was little reason for concern when he spent time on his own during the family’s trip.
A Spain Park High School graduate and Auburn student studying environmental engineering, Higginbotham is described by his mother as an excellent student, experienced traveler and skilled navigator. He is also an avid hiker.
Support in Alabama
Alabama State Rep. Mike Shaw said he and State Rep. Susan DuBose have been in contact with Mark B. Jackson, honorary consul general of Japan, and the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta regarding the search.
Shaw, who chairs the Japan Legislative Exchange in the Alabama House of Representatives, said officials have been assured that “appropriate resources” have been engaged in the search for Higginbotham.
“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,” he said.
As his family searches for answers overseas, support is growing back home in Central Alabama, where loved ones, friends and community members gathered Tuesday at Asbury United Methodist Church to pray for his safe return.
Listen to Weston’s parents thank people for their support below.
At the prayer gathering, that hope was at the center of every message. Higginbotham’s family is working to spread word of his disappearance as widely as possible and hopes anyone with information will come forward. They say they are thankful for the support they have received so far and are asking people to continue praying for his safe return.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.