In a message notification apparatus, message-type information defining one or more types of messages of which an operator is to be notified, and notification-manner information defining at least one manner in which the operator is to be notified of reception of each of the one or more types of messages are defined and stored. The message notification apparatus receives user-situation information indicating a situation of the operator. When the message notification apparatus receives a message, the message is compared with the one or more types of messages, and at least one notification manner is determined based on the notification-manner information and the user-situation information when the message is one of the one or more types of messages. Then, the message notification apparatus notifies the operator of reception of the message in the at least one notification manner.