Businessman Daisuke Hori, who publicly claims to have maintained "30 minutes of sleep per day" for approximately 17 years, is currently drawing significant attention with his "one-week continuous live stream." In the early hours of September 15th, an incident involving footage during his bath also occurred, becoming a hot topic on social media.
Mr. Hori serves as the representative director of the Japan Short Sleeper Training Association (General Incorporated Association) and offers sleep improvement programs, among other services. In August 2026, a YouTube discussion with cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mikio Takasu, where they discussed his sleep duration and program content, went viral. This led to widespread skepticism on social media, with many questioning, "Does he really sleep so little?"
In response to the skepticism, Mr. Hori began a seven-day live stream around 8:00 PM on September 9th, publicly showcasing his life 24 hours a day. The stream garnered significant attention, with concurrent viewers reaching tens of thousands at times.
However, on the second day of the stream, a scene occurred where Mr. Hori closed his eyes and snored during a session with a beauty therapist. This sparked debate as he appeared to be sleeping for approximately 27 minutes. Mr. Hori explained that he experienced "about 10 instances of microsleep."
Furthermore, on September 14th, he announced a policy to incorporate short naps going forward. He also stated, "I was too fixated on 30 minutes of sleep." Dr. Takasu, in his own video, expressed the view that "the 30-minute sleep project is a failure."
Then, in the early hours of September 15th, approximately 127 hours after the stream began, a flurry of viewer posts on X claimed that Mr. Hori's private parts were visible during his bath. Immediately after, the previous live stream temporarily ended, but a new stream titled "Day 6: 127.5 hours~" subsequently started, and the project itself is continuing.