James 'Weston' Higginbotham, a 20-year-old American college student, has been missing in Kyoto, Japan, since May 29, when he separated from his family during a vacation. His parents, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham, have been actively searching for him after local police concluded their search efforts in the Yamashina Mountains. In a recent social media update, Nancy expressed gratitude for the volunteers joining their search, emphasizing their determination to cover areas that the police did not. The family has received permission to initiate their own search party and is utilizing a map to identify key areas. Compounding the search efforts, a typhoon has made the terrain more challenging, with waist-deep mud complicating access. Weston was last seen on CCTV after a disagreement with his mother and is believed to have gone on a solo hike. His family, who arrived in Japan to celebrate his brother's graduation, reported him missing when his phone lost signal shortly after he left. They describe Weston as an experienced outdoorsman, making his sudden disappearance even more concerning.