People in Japan are commemorating the 69th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Every year, the city hosts a ceremony to underline its commitment to world peace and the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

45-thousand people braved the rain to attend the annual commemoration.

US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy was among the dignitaries invited to the ceremony.

The mayor of Hiroshima added a list of a-bomb survivors who passed away during the past year, bringing to more than 290 thousand the number of people enshrined in the cenotaph.

The mayor asked governments to stop using the threat of nuclear weapons to defend themselves, and to develop a new security framework based on trust and dialog.