An intake port of an internal combustion engine 10 is provided with a fuel injection valve 22. An intake adjustment mechanism 30 for varying the valve timing of an intake valve 24 and an exhaust adjustment mechanism 32 for varying the valve timing of an exhaust valve 26 are furnished. Immediately after internal combustion engine startup, fuel atomization is facilitated by exercising control so that the valve opening timing for the intake valve 24 coincides with a retarded valve opening timing after exhaust top dead center. In such an instance, the fuel introduced into a cylinder is inhibited from adhering to the exhaust valve 26 and its neighborhood by exercising control in such a manner that the valve closing timing for the exhaust valve 26 coincides with a retarded vale closing timing, which is retarded from a normal valve closing timing.