To provide a positive active material for a lithium secondary battery with a low cost and high cycle characteristics when applied to the lithium secondary battery.

This positive active material for the lithium secondary battery has a plurality of primary particles containing a layered salt structure lithium composite oxide containing at least elements selected from lithium and nickel, and cobalt and zinc. At least one of the positive active material for the secondary battery and the primary particles has the higher concentration of cobalt in the portion in the vicinity of the surface than the inside. By making the concentration of cobalt in the portion in the vicinity of the surface of particles of the positive active material for the lithium secondary battery or primary particles constituting these particles higher than their insides, the crystal structure in the portion in the vicinity of the surface is stabilized, and cycle characteristics are enhanced. As a result, expensive cobalt is effective utilized to result in cost reduction.