Kadena Air Base Turns Away BYD Vehicles Over Security Fears
The ban covers all BYD cars, including taxis and deliveries, at the largest US Air Force base in East Asia.
By Rahul Sato ·
US Air Force officials at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, have banned all vehicles manufactured by China’s BYD company.
The restriction took effect this week. It covers privately owned cars, taxis, and delivery trucks. Security personnel at the base gates now instruct drivers of BYD vehicles to turn around. Lieut Col Alli Stormer, a spokesperson for the 18th Wing, stated that the vehicles present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to personnel and the mission.
Kadena is the largest US Air Force base in East Asia. It is positioned to respond to crises involving China, Russia, or North Korea. The base houses the Typhon missile system, which can fire Tomahawk missiles up to 1,600 kilometers. This range places parts of China and Russia within striking distance. The facility also hosts fighter jets and aircraft used for mid-air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Military officials have not identified a specific threat behind the ban. However, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that concerns focus on potential information leaks from vehicle-mounted cameras, sensors, and GPS devices. This move aligns with wider Western measures to restrict Chinese smart technology in devices that may be used to spy on owners.
The Pentagon added BYD to a list of 188 Chinese firms with military ties in June. That blacklist also includes automaker Nio, e-commerce giant Alibaba, and internet company Baidu. Beijing protested the inclusion. The US defense department previously banned Huawei and ZTE smartphones at military bases worldwide in 2018 for similar security reasons.
China has imposed its own restrictions on American vehicles. In 2021, Beijing barred Tesla cars from some government compounds due to camera security concerns. That restriction ended in 2024 after Tesla won an endorsement from the country’s top auto industry association.
BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s largest seller of battery-electric vehicles in 2025. The company is expanding overseas, including in Japan, the world’s fourth-largest auto market. It launched the Racco electric minicar there in July, aiming to compete in a market dominated by domestic brands.
Source: The Guardian
