Missing Auburn Student in Kyoto Woods

A missing Auburn University student, James “Weston” Higginbotham, vanished near Kyoto’s Yamashina station on May 29th after a celebratory trip to honor his brother’s academic success. Last seen wearing a “Save the Bees” shirt and Adidas sneakers, his phone went dark after a hardware store visit—CCTV hints he headed east toward Tokyo. His family says he may be emotionally distressed and possibly sought solitude on a nearby trail. Typhoon delays hampered early searches, but now 50 officers, K-9 teams, and helicopters are combing steep, wooded terrain near Otowa and Bishamondo. The Higginbotham family, backed by Japanese police, the FBI, and U.S. Embassy, urge anyone with info to contact authorities directly—not social media. They’re hopeful, with support pouring in from Hoover, Alabama, and Auburn University. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e9322081cb62ba77