Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Saturday he supports integrating the three public pensions to correct the burden imbalance among premium payers depending on occupation.

It marks a clear departure from the position of the welfare ministry, which wants to maintain the current framework of the public pension system designed separately for self-employed workers, salaried workers and public servants.

"I want to do it," he said during taping of TV Asahi's Sunday Project talk show when asked about the possible integration.

Koizumi said he is willing to spend a year discussing the issue with the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force. The DPJ advocates a similar idea.