An American university student who disappeared during a family trip to Japan has been found dead after a days-long search, leaving loved ones devastated.

James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, from Alabama, was traveling in the Kyoto area with his family when he went missing on May 29. According to reports, one of the last confirmed sightings of the Auburn University student was at Kyoto Station at around 6 p.m. that evening.

After extensive search efforts and widespread appeals for information, Weston’s family received the news they had feared.

Family shares heartbreaking update

On June 6, Weston’s mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced on Facebook that her son had been found deceased in a mountainous area outside Kyoto.

“Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto. The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” she wrote.

She went on to thank the many people who helped search for her son and supported the family during the ordeal.

“We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like.”

The family has now asked for privacy as they mourn their loss.

Friend remembers final meeting

In the days before Weston disappeared, he met up with his friend Hiyu Shikari in Tokyo.

The two had attended school together in the United States before Shikari later moved to Japan. They met for dinner in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district on May 22.

Speaking to The U.S. Sun, Shikari recalled their last meeting fondly.

“We had such a great time at a restaurant in Shinjuku, which is in Tokyo,” he said.

Afterward, Shikari tried to reach out to his friend while Weston was visiting Kyoto. Having recently been there himself and aware that a typhoon was approaching, he wanted to check in.

Final unanswered message

Shikari later shared a screenshot of the final text message he sent to Weston.

“Good evening! How’s the stay going? Hopefully yall are having a good time in Kyoto! Lmk if you need me to recommend you any places.”

According to the report, the message received no response and it’s unclear whether it was ever successfully delivered to Weston’s phone.

Search sparked international support

Following Weston’s disappearance, friends, family members and strangers from around the world joined efforts to raise awareness of the case.

In her statement, Nancy Higginbotham expressed gratitude for the support they received during the search.

“We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts.”

Authorities have not publicly released further details regarding the circumstances surrounding Weston’s death.

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