POSITIVE ELECTRODE ACTIVE MATERIAL FOR NONAQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY, POSITIVE ELECTRODE FOR NONAQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY USING SAID POSITIVE ELECTRODE ACTIVE MATERIAL, AND NONAQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY USING SAID POSITIVE ELECTRODE

The present invention provides a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which is capable of improving an initial discharge capacity and suppressing a decrease in discharge voltage and a decrease in battery capacity even in repeated charge-discharge cycles, a positive electrode using the active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the positive electrode. The positive electrode active material includes a particle 21 of a lithium transition metal composite oxide containing lithium, nickel, and manganese and having a layered structure; and a particle 22 of a compound of at least one element adhered to a portion of the surface of the particle 21 and selected from the rare earth elements with atomic numbers 59 to 71.