A heavy duty pneumatic tire having a nominal aspect ratio of not greater than 65, the heavy duty pneumatic tire comprising: a tread having not less than three circumferential grooves aligned with each other in an axial direction; a belt positioned inward of the tread in a radial direction and including a large number of belt cords made of metal, the belt cords being aligned with each other; and a pair of edge bands , each edge band being positioned between the tread and the belt in the radial direction and including a band cord made of metal, wherein of the not less than three circumferential grooves , circumferential grooves that are positioned on outer sides in the axial direction are each a shoulder circumferential groove , the belt is composed of a plurality of layers layered in the radial direction, a layer , out of the layers , that is close to the tread is a first layer , and a layer , out of the layers , that is positioned inward of the first layer in the radial direction is a second layer , each shoulder circumferential groove is positioned between an end of the first layer and an end of the second layer in the axial direction, the edge band is layered on an end portion of the second layer , an inner end of the edge band is positioned outward of the end of the first layer in the axial direction and inward of an inner edge of the shoulder circumferential groove in the axial direction, and the edge band overlaps the shoulder circumferential groove in the radial direction, characterized in that the band cord is helically wound and in that a distance (DG) in the axial direction from the inner edge of the shoulder circumferential groove to the inner end of the edge band is between 3 mm and 7 mm. a tread having not less than three circumferential grooves aligned with each other in an axial direction; a belt positioned inward of the tread in a radial direction and including a large number of belt cords made of metal, the belt cords being aligned with each other; and a pair of edge bands , each edge band being positioned between the tread and the belt in the radial direction and including a band cord made of metal, wherein of the not less than three circumferential grooves , circumferential grooves that are positioned on outer sides in the axial direction are each a shoulder circumferential groove , the belt is composed of a plurality of layers layered in the radial direction, a layer , out of the layers , that is close to the tread is a first layer , and a layer , out of the layers , that is positioned inward of the first layer in the radial direction is a second layer , each shoulder circumferential groove is positioned between an end of the first layer and an end of the second layer in the axial direction, the edge band is layered on an end portion of the second layer , an inner end of the edge band is positioned outward of the end of the first layer in the axial direction and inward of an inner edge of the shoulder circumferential groove in the axial direction, and the edge band overlaps the shoulder circumferential groove in the radial direction, characterized in that the band cord is helically wound and in that a distance (DG) in the axial direction from the inner edge of the shoulder circumferential groove to the inner end of the edge band is between 3 mm and 7 mm. <EOS>