To obtain a vinyl acetate resin that can restrict the generation of formaldehyde, and has a reduced amount of emitted formaldehyde from the resin.

This vinyl acetate resin is obtained by polymerizing vinyl acetate, or vinyl acetate and another copolymerizable monomer, in the presence of a radical generating catalyst having a 10-hr half-life decomposition temperature of 50-70°C, in a methanol solvent, under an atmosphere in which the moisture content in the reaction system is ≤1.0 wt.%, preferably under an inert gas atmosphere. A resin composition and an adhesive composition can be prepared by using the resin.