Ryūhei Kawada

Ryūhei Kawada (川田 龍平; January 12, 1976) is a Japanese activist, haemophiliac and a former member of the House of Councillors (Japan). Ryūhei Kawada became famous for coming out as HIV positive in Japan, where doing so was considered taboo by many.

Ryūhei Kawada
川田 龍平
Kawada in 2024
Member of the House of Councillors
In office 29 July 2007 – 28 July 2025
Preceded by	Seat established
Constituency	Tokyo at-large (2007–2013) National PR (2013–2025)
Personal details
Born	(1976-01-12) 12 January 1976 (age 49) Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
Political party	Constitutional Democratic (since 2017)
Other political affiliations	Independent (2007–2009) Your (2009–2013) Unity (2013–2014) Innovation (2014–2016) Democratic (2016–2017)
Spouse	Mika Tsutsumi ​ (m. 2008)​
Relatives	Daisuke Tsutsumi (brother-in-law)
Alma mater	Tokyo Keizai University
Website	Official website

HIV-tainted blood scandal in Japan

Main article: HIV-tainted blood scandal (Japan)

In the late 1980s, between one and two thousand Japanese patients with haemophilia contracted HIV via tainted blood products. Upon discovering he was one of the affected, Ryuhei Kawada joined the lawsuit against Green Cross Corporation that provided the tainted blood products, which eventually led to the guilty pleas from three executives in 1997.^[1]

Political career

In the 2007 Japanese House of Councillors election, Kawada won a seat in the House of Councillors. He has expressed a desire to work on issues of health, welfare, and labour. He has also indicated he will form a Green Party of Japan based on the Rainbow and Greens which supported his campaign.