The US military announced on Friday that it will ban vehicles made by Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD from Kadena Air Base on Japan’s Okinawa island, citing security risks. The restriction is scheduled to begin on Monday, according to reports from the Yonhap newswire. Kadena Air Base serves as a major US air power hub situated on Japan’s strategic southwest island chain along the edge of the East China Sea.
These vehicles present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission,
said base spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alli Stormer. She did not specify the exact concern that prompted the commander to take action against the Chinese electric vehicles. BYD did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the announcement.
Pentagon Designates BYD as Military Support Company
The restriction follows a Pentagon decision in June designating BYD—along with e-commerce firm Alibaba, internet company Baidu, and automaker NIO—as companies believed to support China’s military. Following that designation, BYD rejected the classification and stated it would pursue administrative and legal avenues to protect its interests.
BYD Expands Overseas as US Restricts Vehicles
BYD overtook Tesla in 2025 to become the world’s biggest seller of battery-electric vehicles and has been actively expanding its presence overseas, including in Japan. In July, the Chinese company launched its Racco electric minicar in Japan as part of its effort to gain a foothold in a market largely dominated by domestic brands.
The action by the US military mirrors similar restrictions implemented previously by China against foreign vehicles. In 2021, Beijing barred Tesla vehicles from certain government compounds over security concerns regarding cameras installed on the cars. Beijing subsequently removed those restrictions in 2024 after Tesla secured an endorsement from the country’s top auto industry association.
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🇺🇸US bans 🇨🇳BYD vehicles from military base in 🇯🇵Japan🔸US Forces Japan will ban all BYD vehicles from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, citing security risks.🔸The ban will apply without exception to privately owned vehicles belonging to personnel, contractor vehicles, taxis and… pic.twitter.com/qg3TafRLxP
🇺🇸🇨🇳🇯🇵⚡️ — The U.S. military has banned all BYD vehicles from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, effective Monday, October 26, citing security concerns regarding onboard cameras and sensors. #US #China #Japan #Security
Kadena Air Base in Okinawa will begin turning away BYD electric vehicles on Monday after the U.S. military barred the Chinese automaker's cars over security concerns, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. U.S. officials believe cameras and sensors on the vehicles could… pic.twitter.com/bNlujEoaKy
🇺🇸🇨🇳🇯🇵 The U.S. military is banning Chinese-made BYD vehicles from a major air base in Japan…The concern: their CAMERAS and sensors could potentially expose sensitive information.Kadena Air Base in Okinawa will begin turning away BYD vehicles on Monday, including cars… pic.twitter.com/j38R6JAJcU
The US Air Force's Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, announces that it will ban entry to vehicles manufactured by China's BYD starting from the 26th, as an effort to prevent potential leaks of military information thru cameras, sensors installed in EVs. https://t.co/Dm7yZBr7iG pic.twitter.com/z6YODy1s5w