An optical transmission apparatus includes an optical transmitter that includes a light emitting element and a driver circuit for the light emitting element, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the optical transmitter, and a controller that switches an operation mode of the optical transmitter from a normal mode to a low-power mode so as to reduce a heating effect to the light emitting element and allow an operation of the light emitting element to continue when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a given temperature.