Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Sunday that he is ready to resign if he fails to get Parliament to extend Japan's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean for U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, stressing that its extension has become an "international commitment" he needs to fulfill by "all possible" means.

"I have no intention of clinging to my duties" as prime minister if the mission is not extended beyond the Nov. 1 legal deadline, Abe said in a news conference after the weekend summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney.

His remark comes a day before a parliamentary showdown begins over the issue between the ruling coalition and opposition parties led by the Democratic Party of Japan, which effectively controls the House of Councillors and is opposed to an extension. An extraordinary Diet session convenes Monday.

Abe called for talks with DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa "as soon as possible," noting that he intends to "stake my job and deal with the issue so as to obtain the understanding of the opposition parties led by the DPJ."