A positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which is high in safety, high in capacity, excellent in rate performance and high temperature storage performance and high in charge/discharge efficiency is provided. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is obtained by adding Al to a Li--Ni--Co--Ba--O system raw material or preferably by adding Al and an amorphous phase of an oxide thereto. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is a composite oxide having a total composition represented by Li.sub.aNi.sub.bCo.sub.cBa.sub.dAl.sub.eO.sub.x or Li.sub.aNi.sub.bCo.sub.cBa.sub.dAl.sub.eM.sub.fO.sub.x where M: one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Si, Ba, B, P and Al a: 1.0 to 1.2 mol b: 0.5 to 0.95 mol c: 0.05 to 0.5 mol d: 0.0005 to 0.01 mol e: 0.01 to 0.1 mol f: 0.01 mol or less (not inclusive of 0).