It is an optical disk apparatus that comprises: a laser drive device for outputting a test power larger than a prescribed value in a gap section; an optical pickup for forming a beam spot on a disk and detecting reflected light; a focus error detector for detecting position shift between a recording face of the information recording medium and the beam spot; a focus control device for controllingthe position shift; and a focus drive device for driving an objective lens in directions far from and close to the disk, wherein, in the gap section, the focus drive device keeps a focus drive outputlevel of right before the laser drive device outputs the test power, and sets a recording power such that the emitted light power becomes the prescribed value.