Japan eyes more foreign workers, stealthily challenging immigration taboo

People walk past a barber store in Tokyo, Japan April 22, 2016. Picture taken April 22, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

TOKYO (Reuters) - Desperately seeking an antidote to a rapidly ageing population, Japanese policymakers are exploring ways to bring in more foreign workers without calling it an "immigration policy".

Immigration is a touchy subject in a land where conservatives prize cultural homogeneity and politicians fear losing votes from workers worried about losing jobs.