Starting Monday, BYD Vehicles Turned Away at Kadena Gates

The United States' Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, will turn away all BYD electric vehicles starting Monday (10/26/2026). This zero-exception ban was reported by South Korea's Yonhap news agency on Friday (10/23/2026), citing a US military official stationed in Japan.

The policy covers vehicles belonging to base personnel, contractors, commercial entities, and even taxis. The US military in Japan has not provided official confirmation of this report, and BYD has not responded to requests for comment.

Cameras and Sensors Prompt Security Concerns

According to Yonhap, security concerns center on the cameras and sensors installed on BYD vehicles. US officials assess that these devices could potentially collect and leak sensitive security information from inside the base.

The ban follows an action by the US Department of Defense in June 2026 adding BYD—alongside Alibaba, Baidu, and NIO—to a list of companies allegedly aiding the Chinese military. BYD denied the allegations, calling them groundless. Alibaba has even sued the US government, while China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested the list as discriminatory and unreasonable.

A similar situation has emerged in South Korea: around 190 Chinese-made connected vehicles, including BYD models, have reportedly entered South Korean military facilities—ranging from the Ministry of National Defense to an F-35 fighter jet base. South Korea's Defense Ministry is now preparing restrictions through amendments to defense security directives. The United Kingdom had also previously restricted Chinese-technology vehicles within its ministerial fleet.