Ryuhei Kawada, an activist known for launching a lawsuit against the state and a pharmaceutical company over tainted blood products given to hemophiliacs like himself, won a seat in the House of Councillors in Sunday's election, final returns showed Monday.

To access full stories on Kyodo News English website, it is necessary to subscribe. Please contact Kyodo's International Department in Tokyo via e-mail at kokusai@kyodonews.jp or call 03-6252-8301. If you are outside Japan, please contact Kyodo News International in New York at kni@kyodonews.com or call +1-212-508-5440. Currently we offer subscriptions to only corporate clients such as newspapers, magazines, trade publications, research institutes, government and international organizations.