US bans vehicles from China’s BYD at Japan military base, calling them ‘unacceptable’ risk

US military says the restrictions on the electric vehicles at Kadena airbase also apply to delivery drivers and taxis

One of America’s biggest overseas military bases has banned vehicles made by the Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD over security concerns, the US military in Japan said on Tuesday.

The ban, which went into effect this week at Kadena airbase on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, has fueled speculation that similar measures could be taken at other US military facilities as part of Washington’s crackdown on Chinese technology it suspects of being used to collect sensitive information.

“These vehicles present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission,” Lieut Col Alli Stormer, a spokesperson for the US air force 18th Wing at Kadena, said in a statement.

The restrictions apply to all BYD vehicles, including privately owned cars, taxis and delivery vehicles, reports said, adding that security personnel stationed at the base’s gates had been instructed to block BYD vehicles and instruct drivers to turn around.

Kadena, the biggest US air force base east Asia, would be directly involved in responding to a crisis involving China, Russia or North Korea.

Its inventory includes the powerful Typhon missile system, which is said to be capable of firing Tomahawk missiles as far as 1,600km, putting parts of China and Russia within striking distance. Kadena also hosts fighter planes and aircraft used for mid-air refuelling, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to its website.

The move comes amid concerns of potential information leaks via vehicle-mounted technologies such as cameras, sensors and GPS devices, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.