A vinyl-compound-based resin composition containing a terminal vinyl compound (a) of a bifunctional phenylene ether oligomer having a polyphenylene ether skeleton, a specific maleimide compound (b), a naphthol aralkyl type cyanate ester resin (c) and a naphthalene-skeleton-modified novolak type epoxy resin (d) for a high-multilayer and high-frequency printed wiring board, which resin composition is excellent in varnish shelf life at low temperature and does not show a decrease in multilayer moldability, heat resistance after moisture absorption, electrical characteristics and peel strength even in a winter period and for a long period of time, and a prepreg, a metal-foil-clad laminate and a resin sheet each of which uses the above resin composition.