The statement seemed addressed especially to developing countries among the IAEA member states, who were sceptical about the nomination of Amano as a candidate by industrialized countries.

Turning to the future, Amano expressed hope that the IAEA would one day play a role in verifying nuclear disarmament, a topic personally important to him, as his native country experienced atomic bomb attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

In his last address to the general conference, ElBaradei said of Amano: 'I trust that he will lead the agency with vision, impartiality and courage.'

The outgoing Egyptian IAEA chief is set to retire at the end of November after 12 years in office.

Diplomats expect Amano to take on a more low-level approach to the post of director general than ElBaradei, who is known for speaking out about wide-ranging issues including poverty and global peace, and for lobbying for nuclear disarmament.

Amano said he sees himself as the IAEA's 'chief administrative officer,' acting under the authority of the governing board.

Born in 1947, Amano joined Japan's foreign ministry in 1972 and rose through its ranks as an expert on nuclear issues.

Before coming to Vienna in 2005, he headed his ministry's disarmament, non-proliferation and science department.