The electrochemical properties of lithium–air batteries incorporating air electrodes loaded with MnO x , which had different Mn valences as the electrocatalysts were examined in an organic electrolyte solution consisting of 1 mol l−1 lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI)/propylene carbonate (PC). Furthermore, we attempted to improve the battery performance by substituting the Mn site in MnO x with Fe, Ni, or Co. The batteries using Mn2−x Fe x O3 showed rather large 1st discharge capacities of 230 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.25 mA cm−2 in a dry air atmosphere. The discharge and charge overpotentials were both greatly reduced by loading Mn2−x Fe x O3 catalysts. However, almost all of these oxides exhibited poor cycle performance. Of the oxides that we examined, Mn1.8Fe0.2O3 had comparatively stable cycle characteristics with a capacity loss of only 25% after 10 cycles.