NOVELTY - An alkaline solution is added to a solution of nickel and cobalt salts. Water is added and co-precipitation of nickel and cobalt hydroxides is carried out, to obtain a nickel-cobalt compound hydroxide. A molybdic-acid solution is added. The reaction mixture is filtered and washed, to obtain nickel-cobalt compound hydroxide coated with molybdic-acid compound. The obtained compound is baked, and obtained nickel-cobalt-molybdenum complex oxide and lithium compound are mixed and heat-processed, to obtain lithium metal complex oxide as anode active material.    USE - Manufacture of anode active material used for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries (claimed), such as lithium ion secondary cells, used as power supply for portable electronic devices, such as mobile telephones and notebook computers, and for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles used together with combustion engines, such as gasoline engines and diesel engines.    ADVANTAGE - The method enables manufacture of anode active materials which economically provide non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having excellent heat stability, safety, and charging-and-discharging capacity. Expensive protective circuit is simplified.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An alkaline solution is added to a mixed aqueous solution of nickel salt and cobalt salt. The temperature is maintained at 50-80 degrees C and pH is maintained at 10-12.5. Water is added and slurried by carrying out co-precipitation of nickel hydroxide and cobalt hydroxide, to obtain a nickel-cobalt compound hydroxide. A molybdic-acid solution is added and stirred, and the pH is adjusted to 8-10.5 by addition of a neutralizing agent. The reaction mixture is filtered and water-washed, to obtain a nickel-cobalt compound hydroxide coated with molybdic-acid compound. The obtained compound is baked and molybdenum is uniformly formed into a solid solution. The nickel-cobalt-molybdenum complex oxide and a lithium compound formed into solid solution are mixed uniformly and heat-processed at 650-850 degrees C to obtain a powder of lithium metal complex oxide as anode active material. The complex oxide is of formula: Li1+zNi1-x-yCoxMoyO2, where x is 0.1-0.21, y is 0.01-0.1, and z is -0.05 to 0.1. The molybdic-acid solution is sodium molybdate aqueous solution or ammonium molybdate aqueous solution. The lithium compound is lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, or their hydrates.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a sectional view of a coin battery.    Lithium metal anode (1)    Separator (2)    Anode (3)    Gasket (4)    Cathode can (5)