To provide an improved dehydrogenation catalyst and a method for improving the catalyst.

For example, the catalyst comprises one oxide selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, and aluminum oxide and copper. The catalyst is obtained by alkali treatment in which a salt containing at least one of the metals constituting the oxides and a catalyst precursor obtained by hydrogen-reducing a catalyst precursor obtained by the reaction between a copper salt and an alkali hydroxide are subjected, for example, to sodium carbonate immersion.