KYOTO (TR) – The parents of a 20-year-old American university student who vanished in Kyoto late last month are pleading for the public’s help, with his mother describing the ongoing ordeal as a “living hell,” reports Fuji News Network (June 4).
James Weston Higginbotham arrived with is family in Japan on May 25. Four days later, the 20-year-old left their Kyoto hotel alone at around 6:00 p.m. and never returned.
Security camera footage later captured Higginbotham walking on a street in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward at approximately 8:00 p.m. His final confirmed purchase was made at a Kohnan home improvement center in the city.
After reportedly arriving at Kyoto Station, his mobile phone lost its signal, and its location tracking was disabled at 8:29 p.m.
“It is a complete nightmare,” his mother said in an appeal. “I was texting him the whole time, asking, ‘Where are you?’ Then his location was turned off, and that was our last contact.”
Dispelling rumors of foul play or legal trouble, she noted that police have confirmed he was not detained following a night out. “Please help us. We are in a living hell,” she added. “I am already in immeasurable pain.”
Easily stand out
According to Kyoto Prefectural Police, security camera footage captured Higginbotham walking along a street in the city’s Yamashina Ward at approximately 8:00 p.m. on the night he disappeared.
On June 3, a search party of roughly 50 police officers scoured the mountainous and forested areas of Yamashina Ward, but the search yielded no clues as to his whereabouts.
Residents note that foreign tourists are relatively rare in Yamashina Ward compared to central Kyoto, meaning a tall foreigner matching his description would easily stand out.
The family suspects he may have headed toward areas around the Bishamon-do Temple or Lake Biwa, as he had recently mentioned a preference for “wide open spaces.”
Social media campaign
Higginbotham is described as standing 188 centimeters tall with a medium build and long blonde hair. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a white T-shirt bearing the words “Save the Bees,” light purple trousers and carrying a beige tote bag.
Relatives describe Higginbotham as an environmental engineering student with excellent grades, extensive overseas travel experience, and a highly reliable sense of direction, deepening the mystery of his sudden disappearance.
His family filed a missing persons report the day after he vanished and continues to spearhead a desperate social media campaign to track his final movements, hoping a localized tip will lead to his discovery.
Persons with information on the case are advised to call the Higashiyama Police Station at 075-525-0110.
