Eighty-one years ago on Thursday, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, reducing the city to ruins, killing tens of thousands of people and bringing the world “face to face with the catastrophic power of nuclear war”.

On the anniversary of the atomic bombings, survivors and activists tell DW Japan's military buildup risks eroding its longstanding commitment to pacifism.

The 80th anniversary of the bombing falls as new nuclear risks face the world

People release paper lanterns on the Motoyasu River in remembrance of atomic bomb victims, marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing, in Hiroshima, western Japan, August…