The US military has decided to prohibit vehicles manufactured by Chinese automaker BYD from entering Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, over security concerns, according to a report by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency published on October 23, 2026. The restriction is scheduled to take effect on October 26, according to the report.
The reported decision is linked to concerns that cameras and sensors fitted in electric vehicles could collect sensitive information about military facilities. Such information could potentially expose security-related details about the base. However, the report does not establish that BYD vehicles have actually collected or leaked classified military information.
The restriction will apply to BYD vehicles entering Kadena Air Base through its access gates. According to Yonhap, the affected categories include privately owned vehicles, contractor vehicles, taxis, delivery vehicles and commercial vehicles. Security personnel are expected to prevent these vehicles from entering the facility, and the reported instructions state that no exceptions will be allowed.
Kadena Air Base is located in Okinawa, Japan, and is a major US military installation in the Asia-Pacific region. The reported restriction concerns access to this specific military facility. It does not amount to a general ban on BYD vehicles across Japan or the United States.
In June 2026, the US Department of Defense added Chinese companies, including BYD, Alibaba, Baidu and NIO, to a list of entities it believes are supporting China’s military. The updated list reportedly contains 188 entities. Inclusion on this list should not be confused with a blanket prohibition on selling BYD vehicles in the US market.
The reported restriction has also raised questions about whether similar measures could be introduced at other US military facilities in Japan or at bases in South Korea. However, any wider expansion remains unconfirmed. The development highlights growing security concerns surrounding connected vehicles and the protection of sensitive information at military installations.
