US Air Base in Japan Bars BYD Vehicles Over Security Concerns

The restriction at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa took effect on October 26 and applies to all BYD vehicles entering the facility.

Source: Headlight Magazine2026-10-271 min read

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Kadena Air Base, a US military installation in Okinawa, Japan, has barred BYD vehicles from entering its grounds. The restriction took effect on October 26 and covers all BYD cars, including taxis, delivery vehicles and vehicles belonging to people coming to the base for work. The report does not describe any exception to the measure.

Kadena spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alli Stormer said allowing the vehicles onto the base could pose risks to personnel and military operations. The base did not publicly explain the specific grounds for its decision. Reports have linked the move to concerns that vehicle cameras and sensors might collect sensitive information and transmit it outside the facility, but this explanation was not confirmed by the base.

The report also notes that the US Department of Defense named BYD, along with several other Chinese companies, in a June statement alleging support for China’s military. BYD rejected that claim and said it would pursue legal action to protect its rights. Separately, China previously restricted Tesla vehicles from some government sites over security concerns; those restrictions were lifted in 2024 after China-built Teslas passed government checks, according to the report.

This is an original summary compiled and translated from the source below, not a direct translation of it.

Source: Headlight Magazine →How we compile the news →

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