In a mobile communication system having a plurality of radio base stations and a mobile station, a radio base station selection method in which a radio base station to start communicating with a mobile station is selected from among adjacent radio base stations capable of communicating with the mobile station is provided. The method includes the steps of requiring, by a radio base station in service, a radio channel availability report from each of adjacent radio base stations indicated by the mobile station, in response to a signal for requesting connection to the mobile station; selecting a radio base station to be connected to the mobile station, based on the radio channel availability reports obtained from the adjacent radio base stations; and notifying the mobile station of information necessary for communicating with the selected radio base station.