Recruit says in talks to buy Staff Service

TOKYO, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Japanese job information and magazine firm Recruit Co said on Thursday it is in talks to buy Staff Service Holdings, the nation's largest staffing agency, and it may announce the result as early as this week.

The Nikkei business daily reported earlier in the day Recruit is in the final stage of talks to buy Staff Service for around $1.5 billion.

"It's true that we are in talks, though nothing concrete had been decided," Recruit spokesman Tomoya Aizawa said.

"But if this deal becomes successful, we will be the biggest company in Japan in terms of personnel placement." (Reporting by Aiko Hayashi)