Ichiro Ozawa, leader of Japan's largest opposition party who offered to resign on Sunday, may retract his decision and stay as president of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), Kyodo News said Tuesday.

DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama told reporters after a meeting with Ozawa on Tuesday night that the leader said "I feel like I have made an embarrassment of myself, but I would like to give it one more go."

The party's executives have been urging the 65-year-old politician to stay as chief since his sudden announcement of resignation on Sunday.

Ozawa offered to quit the top post to "take responsibility for causing confusion within the party" on Sunday. 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.

(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2007)