In a routing apparatus, a state data reception unit identifies target paths involving a specified link and finds candidate paths which share their beginning and ending routing apparatuses with any one of the target paths and do not involve the specified link. The state data reception unit obtains state data of each candidate path from a management apparatus managing state data indicating states of routing apparatuses that forward traffic on the candidate paths. Based on the state data of each candidate path, a distribution path selection unit selects a distribution path that minimizes the increase in power consumption due to an expected change in the states of routing apparatuses. A distribution requesting unit transmits a distribution request to the beginning routing apparatus of a target path so as to distribute at least a part of the traffic on the target path to the selected distribution path.