Masahiro Higashide Reveals 'Ultimate Outlook on Death' to Athletes; Daiya Seto Discusses Struggles After Scandal and Determination for a Comeback

On May 25, 2026, 'ABEMA,' a new style of television, released episode 4 of 'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' (produced by Asahi Broadcasting Television).

'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' is a program where actor Masahiro Higashide, who moved to the deep mountains five years ago to leave the city's hustle, invites entertainers living in the stressful city to join him for a two-day, one-night camping experience. The show features a realistic look at the journey to the campsite, the spectacular views, and camping in the wilderness, aiming for the guests' 'mental detox' in nature. It is an 'outdoor human documentary.'

Episode 4, part of a 6-episode series including ABEMA original episodes, features competitive swimmer Daiya Seto and professional boxer Tenshin Nasukawa as guests.

■ Masahiro Higashide's 'Ultimate Outlook on Death' Surprises Top Athletes

Facing a severe thunderstorm, the camping trip became extremely harsh, with Higashide even warning of a possible 'bivouac' (emergency camping). As the night fell after overcoming the threats of nature, and the time for drinks around the campfire began, their inner thoughts were revealed. Amidst discussions on Nasukawa's reason for turning to boxing and his unique philosophy, the topic shifted to 'the purpose of life.' When asked by Nasukawa, 'Do you have any ultimate goals or objectives?', Higashide surprised both guests by stating, 'Ultimately, I don't want cremation; I want to die out there and be eaten by microorganisms.' He explained, 'If you burn the body using fossil fuels, it provides no nutrition. But if I die naturally, many microorganisms will eat my body. I think that is 'restitution' (a return to nature). I think it would be ideal if the skeleton of this hoodie I'm wearing was found rolling around somewhere.' He expressed his unique outlook on death, shaped by living in the wilderness.

■ Daiya Seto Discusses Struggles Post-Scandal and Determination for a Comeback: 'I want to show a cool version of myself once more.'

During the conversation, Higashide asked, 'Don't you ever feel burdened by managing your desire for approval as an athlete?' Seto reflected on his past, 'I never really thought about approval. I became a champion immediately at my first World Championships, so I performed thinking that results were expected.' He then confessed his struggles after his scandal, saying, 'The image of me seen by the general public was a clean one... there was a large gap between that and my actions. And because there were so many people supporting me, I felt I had made a huge mistake.' To this, Higashide replied, 'Human beings aren't that simple. Being known by many people doesn't necessarily mean life is easy. There are difficult parts to being known by many people.'

Regarding his future goals, Seto expressed his determination for a comeback, saying, 'I want to show a cool version of myself one more time... When the scandal first broke, I felt like, 'I just need to produce results, right?' but as I get older, I truly feel that there are many people who support me anyway. I want to build myself up again with the thought that I want people to watch me once more.'

After surviving the harsh rain and stream fishing, Seto looked forward, saying, 'I kept trying without giving up, and I caught an Iwana (char). Eating this fish I finally caught felt incredibly delicious. I want to work hard toward the Olympics in this environment, without giving up.' Nasukawa also felt the 'mental detox' in the nature, noting, 'Nature is always moving; if it suddenly rains, you can't beat the cold, and if you're hungry, you can't beat the hunger. That feeling is definitely something that can be applied to combat sports, and I feel like I'll be coming to the mountains regularly.'

'Masahiro Higashide's Camping Detox' #4, which reveals the untold true thoughts of two top athletes in the wilderness, is currently available for free on ABEMA. The next ABEMA original episode, #5, will be released on June 5 (Fri) at 6:00 PM.