Zhang Xiantu

Zhang Xiantu (1926 – 2015) was a Chinese women's rights activist. Xiantu was a former comfort woman; together with Wan Aihua, they were the first in China to come out and sue the Japanese government for covering up the sexual violence committed by the Japanese army during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Life Comfort woman At 16 years old, a few months after her marriage, Xiantu was forcibly taken from her home to the military brothel. She was confined and raped everyday by multiple men and was physically tortured for rejecting their sexual demands.

Activism In 1995, Xiantu filed a lawsuit at the Tokyo court against the Japanese government for the sexual atrocities committed by their military during the war. Xiantu sought for apology and compensation of victims. She was consistent, and in 2009, the Japanese government issued an apology but rejected the compensation. On her deathbed, she sought for the continuation of the campaign for remaining sexual violence survivors from the war.