Japan's largest opposition party leader Ichiro Ozawa said
Wednesday that he will stay as president of the Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ), withdrawing his resignation on Sunday.
The veteran politician said in a meeting with his party's
lawmakers that he would "gamble his political life on the next
lower house election" and fight to gain a victory.
Ozawa offered to quit the top post to "take responsibility for
causing confusion within the party" on November 4. He has been
under criticism for not immediately rejecting a proposal from Prime
Minister Yasuo Fukuda to form a ruling coalition with the governing
Liberal Democratic Party last week.
The party's executives have been urging the 65-year-old
politician who led the party to a landmark victory in July's
parliament election to stay as the party's head.
(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2007)
