Following the U.S. restrictions on the use of Chinese electronic devices at military bases and major military facilities to protect military secrets, the U.S. Forces Japan (USJS) has decided to completely ban vehicles made by Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD from entering its military bases.

This move is interpreted as an intention to block the possibility of key base information being leaked through cameras and sensors embedded in electric vehicles, and the possibility of expanding the application of the ban to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) bases is also being discussed.

According to USJS officials on the 23rd, Kadena Air Base located in Okinawa Prefecture has announced that it will prohibit Chinese-made BYD vehicles from entering the base starting on the 26th.

Kadena Air Base is the largest U.S. Air Force installation overseas and is considered a core hub for the U.S. Pacific security front, tasked not only with defending Japan but also with deterring North China and Russia.

It is also where the Typhon missile launcher system is deployed, which can load Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 1,600 km that can place Beijing within range if fired from western Japan.

Starting on the 26th, security personnel at all access points of Kadena Air Base plan to block BYD vehicles from entering the base.

The restrictions will apply to all privately owned vehicles, contractor vehicles, taxis, delivery trucks, and commercial vehicles alike.

The 18th Security Forces Squadron (SFS), which is responsible for protecting core assets and maintaining security within Kadena Air Base, plans to deny entry to BYD vehicles and guide them to immediately turn around starting on the 26th.

The base authorities emphasized that no exceptions will be made under any circumstances.

Analysts suggest that by blocking BYD vehicles from accessing Kadena Air Base, the U.S. Forces Japan aims to prevent the leakage of information related to various military operations conducted at the base, as well as fighter jets, transport aircraft, radars, and ammunition possessed by the 18th Wing of the U.S. 5th Air Force stationed there.

This stems from concerns that electric vehicles equipped with software-defined vehicle (SDV) systems and other technologies can scan and collect information around the vehicle using advanced sensors and cameras, and can be used as high-level intelligence-gathering devices if equipped with real-time cloud transmission or remote control features.

Last June, the U.S. Department of Defense placed BYD on the 1260H procurement restriction list compiled and managed by the Pentagon, designating 188 entities, including Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu, as "Chinese military companies operating directly or indirectly within the United States."

BYD, China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has recently been increasing sales mainly in regional residential areas where public transportation networks are less developed, by launching specialized models tailored to Japanese demand and increasing the number of store openings.

Within the U.S. Forces Japan, observations are emerging that the measure to block access for BYD vehicles could expand to other major U.S. bases in Japan, such as Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture, or even to U.S. Forces Korea bases.

Citing security concerns, the U.S. Department of Defense officially banned the sale and use of smartphones manufactured by Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE at commissaries and exchanges across global U.S. military bases in 2018.

The use of Huawei communication base stations near military installations and overseas deployments is also controlled.

Japan is also stepping up regulations on Chinese information technology (IT) equipment, cloud services, and data centers, making no secret of its vigilance against China's expanding military influence in East Asia.

Sino-Japanese relations have remained in a cooling phase since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted at "intervention in a contingency involving Taiwan" during a parliamentary session in November of last year, and tensions between the two countries persist as China criticizes Japan's recent attempts to expand its defense capabilities as "neo-militarism."

(Photo: Yonhap News)