A light emitting element driving circuit drives a surface-emitting element, and the light emitting element driving circuit is equipped with a bias current driving circuit that supplies a generally constant bias current to the surface-emitting element, a modulation current driving circuit that supplies to the surface-emitting element a modulation current superimposed on the bias current, and a temperature detection circuit that detects the temperature of the surface-emitting element, wherein the modulation current driving circuit decreases the current amount of the modulation current, when the temperature detected rises. The bias current driving circuit may preferably supply the bias current to the surface-emitting element through a coil, and the modulation current driving circuit may preferably supply the modulation current to the surface-emitting element through a capacitor.