Leading employment agency Adecco SA is pinning high hopes on the fast growth of Japan's hitherto undercultivated temporary workforce, Adecco Chief Executive Officer John P. Bowmer said Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference here, Bowmer said he intends to secure a 20 percent market share in all of the nation's major markets.

Adecco Japan, a Japanese affiliate of the Swiss company, earlier announced plans to merge with employment agency Career Staff Co. in August. Noting that Adecco already has more than a 20 percent share in such key markets as France, Spain and Australia, Bowmer said there is a huge growth potential in Japan, where the ratio of temporary workers remains relatively low.

He said employing temporary workers would give larger firms better results, such as expanded services and lowered costs. He also said he wanted to place a significant importance on the business of providing specialists, an area for which there is an increasingly high demand.

Career Staff President Ken Ono cited a global clientele and mobilization of man power as reasons for the merger. Toru Omoi, President of Adecco Japan, said he hopes the merger expands the size and diversification of the human resources business.