Auburn student found dead in Japan often took ‘decompression’ hikes, friend says

James “Weston” Higginbotham’s body was found in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto after he’d been missing for about a week.

An Auburn University student who died in Japan after going off on a solo hike away from his family enjoyed long strolls for “decompression” and wouldn’t have wanted to harm himself, a family friend said Monday.

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James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, was last seen at the Kyoto train station on May 29 before volunteer searchers found his body in the mountains just outside the ancient city on Saturday.

Higginbotham was traveling with his parents when he got into an argument with his mother over her use of ChatGPT during the vacation. After the argument he walked away, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, previously said.