A starter for an internal combustion engine equipped with a ring gear receiving rotational force comprising: a motor that generates the rotational force through energization; a pinion gear that transmits the rotational force generated by the motor to the ring gear of the internal combustion engine; a first electromagnetic switch that opens and closes a first contact point (19a, 20a, 21) provided on a motor circuit for applying a current from a battery to the motor to be energized thereby rotating the motor; a resistor connected to the motor circuit in series with the first contact point (19a, 20a, 21); a second electromagnetic switch that opens and closes an second contact point (9c, 9d), the second contact point (9c, 9d) being connected to the motor circuit in parallel with the resistor; and a control device that controls a timing of the electromagnetic switches (7, 9) that opens and closes the contact points (19a, 20a, 21, 9c, 9d) in order to allow a first current to flow through the resistor when the first contact point (19a, 20a, 21) is closed and the second contact point (9c, 9d) is opened and to allow a second current to flow through the second contact point (9c, 9d) when the first and second contact points (19a, 20a, 21, 9c, 9d) are closed, the first current having a peak value depending on a resistance value of the resistor and the second current having a peak value depending on a rotation speed of the motor, characterised in that the control device is configured to control the second electromagnetic switch to set a duration during which the first current is flowing through the resistor whereby the peak value of the first current is larger than the peak value of the second current. a motor that generates the rotational force through energization; a pinion gear that transmits the rotational force generated by the motor to the ring gear of the internal combustion engine; a first electromagnetic switch that opens and closes a first contact point (19a, 20a, 21) provided on a motor circuit for applying a current from a battery to the motor to be energized thereby rotating the motor; a resistor connected to the motor circuit in series with the first contact point (19a, 20a, 21); a second electromagnetic switch that opens and closes an second contact point (9c, 9d), the second contact point (9c, 9d) being connected to the motor circuit in parallel with the resistor; and a control device that controls a timing of the electromagnetic switches (7, 9) that opens and closes the contact points (19a, 20a, 21, 9c, 9d) in order to allow a first current to flow through the resistor when the first contact point (19a, 20a, 21) is closed and the second contact point (9c, 9d) is opened and to allow a second current to flow through the second contact point (9c, 9d) when the first and second contact points (19a, 20a, 21, 9c, 9d) are closed, the first current having a peak value depending on a resistance value of the resistor and the second current having a peak value depending on a rotation speed of the motor, characterised in that the control device is configured to control the second electromagnetic switch to set a duration during which the first current is flowing through the resistor whereby the peak value of the first current is larger than the peak value of the second current.