URGENT MISSING PERSON- KYOTO

***** We have narrowed it down to Yamashina station per CCTV*****
My son, James "Weston" Higginbotham, age 20, is missing in Japan. He was last confirmed in the Kyoto area on May 29, 2026. We are on a family trip since May 25th.
Last known/confirmed information:
• Last confirmed purchase: Kohnan / hardware store in the Kyoto area
• Last phone/location activity: evening of May 29
• He arrived at Kyoto station on 05/29 around 8:15pm and his phone lost network at 8:29pm. It looks like he ws on a local train (subway type) on the Biwako Line (also referred to as the Takaido Main Line) or the Kosie Line. He wa headed east toward Tokoyo direction.
• He is American and speaks English
• He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent
Description:
• Name: James "Weston" Higginbotham
• Age: 20
• Height: 185cm (6' 1")
• Hair: Blonde Long
• Eyes: Blue
• Clothing last seen wearing: Shirt (white front, on the back it says "Save the Bees" with two bumblebees), Lavender corduroy pants with a large cuff, beat up adidas white with black stripes and wide shoelaces)
• Bag: Shoulder bag (not backpack) with the state of Alabama on it
• Phone: location turned off
Please check:
• Hotels, hostels, capsule hotels, internet cafés, manga cafés
• Train stations and platforms
• Convenience stores
• Hiking areas, rivers, bridges, temples, shrines, parks, and quiet areas
• Any place near Kyoto, Otsu, Lake Biwa, Yamashina, Shiga, or train lines heading east from Kyoto
If you see him, PLEASE DO NOT POST HIS EXACT LOCATION PUBLICLY. Please call local police immediately and then message me directly.
Police report has been filed. Any sightings, CCTV information, train/hotel/hostel leads, or advice from locals would mean everything to us.
Please share this in Kyoto, Japan travel, expat, hostel, hiking, and local community groups.
He is a vegan, in college studying environmental engineering and is an excellent student, very well travelled and an excellent navigator.
Contact:
Nancy Higginbotham
WhatsApp +1(205) 215-8888
nancyhig@gmail.com
Please be kind. We are in our own living hell. He is not detained from a nght out partying. The police have confirmed this. Please, I beg you, be kind. I'm already in so much pain.