It seems people on the street in Japan are buying gold, at least in part in anticipation of a Yen collapse. If they are right (and of course a run on anything can be self-fulfilling) the Central Bank's ability to control Abenomics will evaporate and we'll be in for one hell of a ride.
Japan currently has by far the greatest debt per capita in the world and there is a view that if interest rates rise as a result of higher inflation (or just inflation expectations) the government will be forced to default.
On Thursday in Tokyo’s chic Ginza district, customers at Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry, a precious-metals specialist, queued for up to three hours to buy 500g ingots worth about Y2.3m ($22,500).
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/59aad556-b58f-11e3-81cb-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2wxqusfLt