The ban and its timing

The US Army announced on Friday, 23 October 2026, that vehicles made by the Chinese carmaker BYD will be barred from Kadena air base on Okinawa, Japan, starting Monday, 26 October 2026. The base spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Alli Stormer, said the vehicles pose a risk to personnel and to the mission that cannot be reduced. She did not specify which threats prompted the decision. Kadena is described as the largest US Air Force base in East Asia and a central installation for American forces in the Pacific. The move follows earlier US restrictions on Chinese-made electronic devices at American military sites.

Scope of the restriction

Security staff at all entry points will stop BYD vehicles from entering, and the rule covers personal cars, contractor vehicles, taxis, delivery vehicles and commercial vehicles. Base leadership said no exceptions will be granted under any circumstances. Yonhap reported that the measure is meant to keep information about operations and equipment at the base from leaking, including details on fighter jets, transport aircraft, radars and munitions. The concern is that electric vehicles with advanced sensors and cameras could collect information about their surroundings and, if they can send data in real time, transmit it onward. The option of extending the ban to US forces in South Korea is reportedly under consideration.

Pentagon listing and BYD's response

In June, the Pentagon placed BYD on a list of companies it believes support the Chinese military, alongside Alibaba, Baidu and the carmaker NIO. BYD has rejected that designation and said it will pursue administrative and legal steps to protect its interests. The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the base ban. BYD overtook Tesla in 2025 as the world's largest seller of battery electric vehicles and is expanding abroad, including in Japan, where it launched the Racco mini electric car in July. It is trying to win ground in a Japanese market dominated by local brands.

The Tesla precedent in China

China imposed similar limits on Tesla vehicles in 2021, barring them from some government compounds over concerns about cameras installed on the cars. Beijing lifted that restriction in 2024, after Tesla obtained approval from the country's most important car industry association. Sources frame the US measure as part of wider concern about data collected by connected vehicles and the technology built into them. The Tesla case shows that vehicle camera access has already prompted a government restriction in another major market.

What happens next

The ban takes effect on Monday, 26 October 2026, and from that date security personnel will turn away BYD vehicles at every entry point to Kadena. The reports describe BYD's response only as a plan to use administrative and legal channels, with no ruling or hearing mentioned. No source gives a date for any extension to other bases beyond Kadena.