Thousands gathered in Hiroshima on Wednesday to mark 80 years since the city was devastated by an atomic bomb, as the mayor warned of the growing threat of nuclear weapons and urged global leaders to reflect on the lessons of the past.

The annual ceremony, commemorating one of history’s deadliest wartime attacks, was attended by representatives from a record 120 countries and regions.

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui addressed the gathering, warning of a growing global drift toward militarisation and renewed reliance on nuclear weapons.

"Among the world's political leaders, there is a growing belief that possessing nuclear weapons is unavoidable in order to protect their own countries," he said, noting that the U.S. and Russia possess 90% of the world's nuclear warheads.

"This situation not only nullifies the lessons the international community has learned from the tragic history of the past, but also seriously undermines the frameworks that have been built for peace-building.

"To all the leaders around the world, please visit Hiroshima and witness for yourselves the reality of the atomic bombing."

Yoshikazu Horie, a 71-year-old tourist, echoed the mayor’s concerns.

"It feels more and more like history is repeating itself. Terrible things are happening in Europe ... Even in Japan, in Asia, it's going the same way, it's very scary," he said.

"I've got grandchildren and I want peace so they can live their lives happily."

Survivors of the bombing, known as "hibakusha", have long faced social stigma over fears they carried diseases or passed on genetic damage. Their numbers dropped below 100,000 for the first time this year.

On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped a uranium bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy", on the western Japanese city, killing about 78,000 people instantly. The blast and resulting radiation claimed tens of thousands more lives by the end of the year - estimated to be around 140,000 by the end of that year.

Hiroshima had served as a military headquarters and supply base during World War Two. U.S. planners selected it partly because the surrounding mountains were expected to concentrate the bomb’s force and amplify its destructiveness.

"Little Boy" unleashed a heatwave reaching 4,000 degrees Celsius (7,200 Fahrenheit), followed three days later by a plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki killing around 70,000 people.

Japan surrendered on 15 August, bringing the war to an end.

The country, the only one to have experienced nuclear attacks, has declared its commitment to nuclear disarmament, though it is not a signatory or observer of the U.N. treaty to ban nuclear weapons.

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