The United Nations' top nuclear official has said the world's reliance on atomic power will continue to grow, despite the crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, said many countries believed nuclear power was needed to combat global warming. After meeting Mr Kan yesterday, Mr Amano told reporters that it was certain that the number of nuclear reactors would increase, even if not as quickly as before. Mr Amano visited the Fukushima plant on Monday for the first time since it was crippled by the earthquake and tsunami. He said he supported Tokyo's plan to shut the plant by January. Germany has announced plans to abandon nuclear power entirely, and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has floated the idea of a nuclear-free Japan.