“For investors, buying gold is similar to casting a no-confidence vote,” said Itsuo Toshima, 68, an investment adviser and former regional manager for the World Gold Council in Tokyo. “Gold is the unprintable currency, unlike the yen. The yen’s appreciation in spite of the adoption of the negative-rate policy has kindled skepticism about the policy’s benefits. It’s also led to investors seeking to protect their assets in case Abenomics fails.”