When fuel cut permission conditions are satisfied, a guard provided by an ignition timing retardation limit is relieved. In the resulting state, the ignition timing is retarded to decrease the output torque of an internal combustion engine. After the output torque of the internal combustion engine is decreased to a predetermined minimum torque, the supply of fuel is shut off. When, on the other hand, recovery from a fuel cut is to be achieved, the guard provided by the ignition timing retardation limit is relieved until completion conditions for recovery from the fuel cut are satisfied. In the resulting state, the ignition timing is retarded to decrease the output torque of the internal combustion engine.