A base station apparatus having reduced processing load imposed on an evolved packet core while optimizing resource use comprising: a determining unit adapted to determine whether a direct link has been established between the base station apparatus and another base station apparatus, when a mobile device makes a request to switch a communication recipient from the base station apparatus to the other base station apparatus; a link information acquiring unit adapted to acquire, indirectly from the other base station apparatus, link information necessary for establishing the direct link to the other base station apparatus, when the determining unit determines that no direct link to the other base station apparatus has been established; and a link requesting unit adapted to request the other base station apparatus to establish the direct link to the base station apparatus, based on the link information of the other base station apparatus acquired by the link information acquiring unit; a counting unit adapted to count number of handovers made within a predetermined period of time using the direct link to the other base station apparatus established in response to the request from the link requesting unit, or number of handovers made within a predetermined period of time using an indirect link to the other base station apparatus, the handovers being made by a plurality of mobile devices each switching a communication recipient from the base station apparatus to the other base station apparatus; and an indirect handover time determining unit adapted to determine whether the number of handovers counted by the counting unit and made using the indirect link to the other base station apparatus exceeds a predetermined number, wherein the link requesting unit is adapted to request the other base station apparatus to establish the direct link to the base station apparatus, when the indirect handover time determining unit determines that the number of handovers made using the indirect link to the other base station apparatus exceeds the predetermined number. a determining unit adapted to determine whether a direct link has been established between the base station apparatus and another base station apparatus, when a mobile device makes a request to switch a communication recipient from the base station apparatus to the other base station apparatus; a link information acquiring unit adapted to acquire, indirectly from the other base station apparatus, link information necessary for establishing the direct link to the other base station apparatus, when the determining unit determines that no direct link to the other base station apparatus has been established; and a link requesting unit adapted to request the other base station apparatus to establish the direct link to the base station apparatus, based on the link information of the other base station apparatus acquired by the link information acquiring unit; a counting unit adapted to count number of handovers made within a predetermined period of time using the direct link to the other base station apparatus established in response to the request from the link requesting unit, or number of handovers made within a predetermined period of time using an indirect link to the other base station apparatus, the handovers being made by a plurality of mobile devices each switching a communication recipient from the base station apparatus to the other base station apparatus; and an indirect handover time determining unit adapted to determine whether the number of handovers counted by the counting unit and made using the indirect link to the other base station apparatus exceeds a predetermined number, wherein the link requesting unit is adapted to request the other base station apparatus to establish the direct link to the base station apparatus, when the indirect handover time determining unit determines that the number of handovers made using the indirect link to the other base station apparatus exceeds the predetermined number.