The capability of retaining a resistance value of a stored state and an erased state is improved in a resistance variation-type memory device. A memory layer 5 including a high-resistance layer 2 and an ion source layer 3 is provided between a lower electrode 1 and an upper electrode 4. The ion source layer 3 contains Al (aluminum) as an additive element together with an ion conductive material such as S (sulfur), Se (selenium), and Te (tellurium) (chalcogenide element) and a metal element to be ionized such as Zr (zirconium). Since Al is included in the ion source layer 3, the high-resistance layer which includes Al (Al oxide) is formed on an anode in erasing operation. Thus, a retaining property in a high-resistance state improves, and at the same time, an operating speed is improved.