Q+A-Outlook for new U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Amano

By Sylvia Westall

VIENNA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano took charge of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday, replacing Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei who retired after 12 years at the helm.

Here are some of the issues facing Amano, who scraped to victory in a prolonged leadership race at the U.N. nuclear watchdog earlier this year.

WHAT IS HIS BACKGROUND?

Amano, 62, has specialised in multilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation posts and negotiations during decades of work in Japan's foreign service.

WHAT IS AMANO'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Iran appears to have turned down an IAEA-brokered deal to ship its low-enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for reprocessing into fuel for a nuclear medicine reactor in Tehran that serves 200 hospitals. It has revealed a second, previously secret uranium enrichment site and has put limits on inspector access to its other facilities.

On Sunday, Tehran announced plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants, with work starting within the next two months, a gesture of defiance following an IAEA resolution rebuking Iran for its nuclear secrecy.

The Vienna-based IAEA, which has been losing track of Iran's growing atomic energy programme, is also concerned the Islamic Republic may be hiding more nuclear activity.

"Amano has got to refocus on strengthening (the) safeguards (inspections regime)," said David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, which tracks nuclear proliferation.