A positive electrode material for a nonaqueous lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery that has superior cycle life and safety and reduced internal resistance of the battery at low temperature is provided. The positive electrode material for a nonaqueous lithium secondary battery comprise a layered structured complex oxide expressed by a composition formula Li.sub.aMn.sub.xNi.sub.yCo.sub.zM.sub..alpha.O.sub.2, where 0