A positive electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode mixture layer that is formed on the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is: the positive electrode mixture layer comprises a first mixture layer that contains a positive electrode active material and a reaction inhibitor which inhibits a thermal reaction between the positive electrode active material and a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a second mixture layer that contains the positive electrode active material; the positive electrode is obtained by sequentially laminating the positive electrode current collector, the first and the second mixture layer in this order; and the concentration of the reaction inhibitor contained in the positive electrode mixture layer is high in the vicinity of the positive electrode current collector in comparison to that in the surface layer portion of the positive electrode mixture layer.