Variable valve drive apparatus for internal combustion engine

Intake valve drive shaft and exhaust valve drive shaft (2,15) are arranged in parallel to each other and provided with sprockets, respectively, for receiving engine rotation from a crank shaft. A rocker cam (13) is swingably mounted on the intake valve drive shaft (2) to push the intake valve, and connected mechanically by a link mechanism with the intake valve drive shaft (2). The axis (31) of the intake valve drive shaft is offset from the axis (32) of the intake valve to one side. The rocker cam (13) includes a cam nose which projects to the other side of the axis of the intake valve when the intake valve is in the closed state.