Packet forwarding apparatus and method for discarding packets

The packet forwarding apparatus of the present invention includes a packet buffer for temporarily storing packets to be forwarded, a timer for measuring the time of every predetermined unit period, a plurality of first queues corresponding to each of a plurality of address groups that form the packet buffer, a plurality of second queues that are provided corresponding to the property of the packets, a first controller for executing the writing of the packets, and a second controller for executing the discarding of the packets. According to this invention, through managing the first queues and the second queues, packets in the packet buffer can be discarded without the packets being read from the packet buffer.