He went to Japan to go to school, at least that's what he said right before he took off, and that he wouldn't be around for a while.
I thought it was really weird, I'm just thinking, "What, they don't have Internet access in Japan? Is your schooling for a secret government project that dictates you cut all human contact save for your teachers?"
The whole thing didn't make any sense to me, and still doesn't. Even if it was true that he left to "go to school," the dude could still find a free minute here or there to log in if he really wanted to.