Eighty-one years after the atomic bombing, Hiroshima remains a global symbol of the consequences of nuclear war. The annual ceremony on August 6 brings together survivors, officials and peace activists to call for a world without nuclear weapons.

This year, however, the event takes place against the backdrop of Japan's changing defense policy. Many Hiroshima residents and peace advocates fear the shift could weaken Japan's commitment to pacifism and move the country further away from the lessons of its wartime past.