KYOTO, Japan. (WBRC) – A search effort is underway in Kyoto, Japan after a Spain Park High School graduate went missing while visiting the country with family.
The Japanese government, authorities, and citizens in Japan have banded together to help search and support the family. Alabama state representatives, the FBI, the U.S. Embassy, and community members in Alabama have been offering help as well.
According to Nancy Higginbotham, the family arrived in Japan on Friday, May 22 to celebrate one of their children getting straight A’s throughout high school.
“Our family just has this thing where we’ve always told the kids, ‘If you make straight A’s throughout high school, you can pick anywhere in the world you want to go,’” she explained. She said their younger son is a straight A student and wanted to go to Japan, so they ended up there as a family and had been having a wonderful trip.
“It’s been absolutely the most stunning country,” Higginbotham said, explaining how they began in Tokyo and visited a few other places before ending up in Kyoto.
Kyoto is where they are now after their son James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, went missing Friday, May 29.
The day Weston went missing
Nancy Higginbotham told WBRC Weston went out to explore on his own that Friday. She explained that their family is very well traveled, and Weston has studied abroad, describing him as a “master navigator.” She said he is also big on using public transit and is in good physical shape, putting him in the position to be equipped to go out on his own in a different country, “especially one as safe as Japan.”
According to Nancy, CCTV footage showed Weston getting off a train in Yamashina, a ward of Kyoto. Higginbotham said his last known purchase was made at a hardware store. His family messaged him asking what he was doing but got no reply before the location on his phone turned off around 8:29 p.m. They have not heard from him since.
Weston Higginbotham reported missing in Kyoto, Japan(Kyoto Police)
Weston Higginbotham has blond hair, blue eyes and is 6-foot-1. He was last seen wearing a shirt with a white front, on the back it says “Save the Bees” with two bumblebees. He was wearing lavender corduroy pants with a large cuff, white adidas with black stripes and wide shoelaces, and a shoulder bag with the state of Alabama on it.
On Wednesday, June 3, about 12:30 p.m. Japan time, Nancy Higginbotham spoke with WBRC and said that authorities were searching in a wooded area of Yamashina earlier that morning. CCTV cameras helped authorities narrow his last known location to Yamashina station. Nancy said 50 local policemen, K-9 units, and helicopters started searching the wooded area just north of the station around 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Support for the family, search efforts
Authorities and citizens have been supporting the family in multiple ways, offering to help where they can in the search efforts.
“Japanese citizens have been so amazing,” Nancy said. “They have come together like Weston is their child. I have people going on a train for three hours to help hand out flyers. It’s people just coming to translate, and to help and to go search in the woods.”
She explained the Japanese authorities have been wonderful as well in helping search. She credited the U.S. Embassy as well and other U.S. representatives for what they’ve done to support her family.
Community members from Alabama have also reached out saying they’re praying and offering support, which Higginbotham says has meant a lot as they navigate this situation.
“You realize, community is everything,” Nancy said. “People come together to help others deal with their tragedy and trauma it’s, absolutely incredible, but not just in the U.S. The Japanese citizens, I could cry telling you how wonderful they have been.”
On Tuesday night, June 2, a vigil was held at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham to pray for Weston Higginbotham and his family.
Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis shared the following statement on Facebook about Weston Higginbotham:
Many in our community have been following the search for Weston Higginbotham, a Hoover native, Spain Park High School graduate, and Auburn University student who has been missing in Japan since May 29.
Stephanie and I are praying for the swift return of Weston. We also pray that Keith, Nancy, and the entire Higginbotham family are provided with every resource needed as their efforts to find him continue. May strength, wisdom, and endurance be with all those working to bring him home.
Our hearts are with the Higginbotham family during this difficult time, and we remain hopeful for a positive resolution.
Nancy posted on her Facebook at 8:45 p.m. June 3, Japan time, saying that the search will resume on Thursday, June 4 since the area they are covering is large.
Weston is a student at Auburn University. The school issued the following statement:
Auburn University is aware that one of our students, James “Weston” Higginbotham, has been reported missing while traveling in Japan.
Our thoughts are with Weston, his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time. University officials have reached out to the family and offered support.
Weston, who is a junior biosystems engineering major, was traveling with his family at the time of his disappearance. Out of respect for the family’s privacy and ongoing efforts to locate Weston, the university has no further comment.
WBRC will share updates on Weston Higginbotham as they become available.
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