U.S. Forces Japan to bar all BYD vehicles from Okinawa’s Kadena Air Base, with no exceptions for private cars, taxis or delivery vans

U.S. Forces Japan will ban BYD vehicles from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, citing security risks. The restriction covers personnel’s private cars, contractor vehicles, taxis and delivery vans, with security forces instructed to turn them away at every gate.

Kadena is the largest U.S. Air Force base overseas and hosts the 18th Wing and the Typhon missile system, which is capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. Base spokesperson Lt. Col. Alli Stormer said the vehicles “present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission,” but gave no details. Yonhap, citing U.S. military officials, reported that the concern is that the vehicles’ cameras, sensors, GPS and connected features could collect and leak sensitive information.