Optically active (R)-1-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)ethylamine is a novel compound as an important intermediate for medicines and agricultural chemicals. This compound can be obtained with high optical purity and high yield by a process including the steps of (a) a dehydrocondensation of 4'-(trifluoromethyl)acetophenone and an optically active (R)-1-phenylethylamine to obtain an optically active imine; (b) asymmetrically reducing the imine into an optically active secondary amine; (c) reacting the amine with an organic acid (phthalic acid or benzenesulfonic acid), thereby obtaining a product that is a phthalate of or benzenesulfonate of the amine; (d) subjecting the product of the step (c) to a hydrogenolysis, thereby obtaining a product that is a phthalate of or benzenesuilfonate of optically active (R)-1-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)ethylamine; and (e) neutralizing the product of the step (d) into the optically active (R)-1-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)ethylamine.