Kadena Air Base Blocks All BYD Vehicles Citing Security Risk

The US Air Force has banned all vehicles manufactured by China's BYD from entering Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The restriction took effect this week, and security personnel at the base gates are instructed to stop BYD vehicles and direct drivers to turn around. The ban covers every type of vehicle made by the company, ranging from privately owned cars to taxis and delivery trucks.

Lieut Col Alli Stormer, a spokesperson for the 18th Wing at Kadena, described the decision in a statement. "These vehicles present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission," Stormer said. Military officials have not identified a specific threat to the base, but they cite concerns that vehicle-mounted technologies such as cameras, sensors, and GPS devices could leak information. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that these potential leaks are a primary driver of the move.

Kadena is the largest US Air Force base in East Asia. It holds strategic assets including the Typhon missile system, which can fire Tomahawk missiles up to 1,600km. The base also hosts fighter planes and aircraft used for mid-air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance. In a crisis involving China, Russia, or North Korea, Kadena would be directly involved in the response.

The ban is part of a wider effort by Washington and other Western nations to restrict Chinese smart technology in devices that they fear could be used to spy on users. In June, the Pentagon added BYD to a list of 188 Chinese firms it believes have ties to the country's military. That blacklist also includes automaker Nio, e-commerce firm Alibaba, and internet company Baidu. Beijing protested the addition, which drew attention to the growing scrutiny of Chinese technology in military contexts.

This follows a 2018 ban by the US Defense Department on smartphones from Huawei and ZTE at military bases worldwide. China has imposed similar restrictions on US-made Tesla vehicles. In 2021, Beijing barred Teslas from some government compounds due to security concerns over vehicle cameras. That restriction was removed in 2024 after Tesla won an endorsement from the country's top auto industry association.

BYD has not immediately responded publicly to the Kadena ban. The company overtook Tesla as the world's largest seller of battery-electric vehicles in 2025. It is currently expanding overseas, including in Japan, the world's fourth-largest auto market. In July, BYD launched its Racco electric minicar in Japan, aiming to establish a foothold in a market dominated by domestic brands.