Cement　production　is　associated　with　a　considerable　environmental　load,　which　needs　to　be　fully　understood　before　effective　measures　can　be　taken.　The　existing　literature　did　not　give　detailed　life　cycle　assessment　(LCA)　study　of　China　and　had　limited　potential　for　investigating　how　best　available　techniques　(BATs)　would　provide　a　maximum　benefit　when　they　are　applied　in　China.　Japan　was　selected　as　a　good　example　to　achieve　better　environmental　performance　of　cement　production.　We　identified　potentials　for　reducing　emissions　and　saving　energy　and　natural　resources　in　Chinese　cement　industry　through　the　comparative　analysis.　This　paper　follows　the　principal　of　Life　Cycle　Assessment　and　International　Reference　Life　Cycle　Data　System　(ILCD).　The　functional　units　are　＂1　t　of　portland　cement＂　and　with　42.5　MPa　of　strength　grade.　The　input　(limestone,　sandstone,　ferrous　tailings,　coal,　and　electricity)　and　output　(CO2　from　limestone　decomposition　and　coal　combustion,　NOx,　PM,　and　SO2)　of　cement　manufacturing　were　calculated　by　use　of　on-site　measurements,　calculation　by　estimated　coefficients,　and　derivation　by　mass　and　heat　balance　principle.　The　direct　(cement　manufacturing)　and　indirect　(electricity　production)　LCI　are　added　to　be　total　LCI　results　(cement　production).　The　impact　categories　of　global　warming　potential　(GWP),　acidification　potential　(AP),　eutrophication　potential　(EP),　photochemical　oxidant　formation　potential　(POCP),　and　human　toxicity　potential　(HTP)　are　used　to　calculate　environmental　impact.　Only　in　GWP　of　cement　manufacturing　China　has　advantage.　Japanese　cement　industry　shows　remarkable　superiorities　in　the　environmental　impacts　of　AP,　POCP,　HTP,　and　EP　due　to　advanced　technologies.　SO2　emissions　make　the　corresponding　AP　and　HTP.　PM　emissions　result　in　part　of　HTP.　The　NOx　emissions　are　the　major　contributors　of　POCP,　AP,　EP,　and　HTP　in　China.　China　emits　fewer　CO2　emissions　(2.09　%)　in　cement　manufacturing　than　Japan　but　finally　makes　higher　total　GWP　than　Japan　due　to　more　GWP　of　electricity　generation　in　power　stations.　The　waste　heat　recovery　technology　can　save　electricity　but　bring　more　coal　use　and　CO2　emissions.　The　alternative　fuel　and　raw　materials　usage　and　denitration　and　de-dust　technologies　can　relieve　the　environmental　load.　Using　the　functional　unit　with　the　strength　grade,　the　life　cycle　impact　assessment　(LCIA)　results　are　affected.　LCA　study　allows　a　clear　understanding　from　the　view　of　total　environmental　impact　rather　than　by　the　gross　domestic　product　(GDP)　unit　from　an　economic　development　perspective.　In　an　LCA　study,　the　power　generation　should　be　considered　in　the　life　cycle　of　cement　production.