BBC: Worldwide protests mark Iraq war
Protests have been taking place across the world marking two years since the start of the war in Iraq.Aljazeera: Thousands rally against Iraq war
Thousands turned out in Japan and Australia to complain about their countries' involvement in Iraq.
Protest marches took place around Europe and similar events occurred in cities across the US.
In a radio address, US President George W Bush defended the war, saying it took place "to disarm a brutal regime, free its people, and defend the world".
More than 4,500 people marched in Tokyo during a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"The Self-Defence Force [Japan's military] should withdraw from Iraq immediately... and the occupation of Iraq should be stopped," said Ken Takada, a member of civic group World Peace Now.
Tens of thousands of people have marched through central London on the second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, calling on Prime Minister Tony Blair to get British troops out of the country.
Police said 45,000 people were taking part in the march which wound from Hyde Park Corner past the US embassy to a rally in central London's Trafalgar Square.
Organisers, the Stop the War Coalition, said they hoped that eventually 250,000 people would join the march, one of many being held around the country and across the world to mark the second anniversary of the Iraq invasion.