PURPOSE: To shorten a recording time by displaying the remaining recording capacity, which is recorded in a recording part, on the remaining capacitor display area of an optical card.

CONSTITUTION: When an optical card 1 is inserted to a recording and reproducing deice 13, it is detected by a sensor 20. When detecting that a remaining capacity display area 4 of the card 1 is punched, a microcomputer 27 refers to a prescribed area of a memory 28, and in case of reading, an optical head 18 is set to the initial position of a recording part 2 of the card 1 to read out information in accordance with presence or absence of the reflected light to a sensor 49. In case of writing, a strong laser light is projected to a prescribed position on a track by a laser 29 to heat and fuse the upper layer of an information recording layer and a spot is formed to record information. The remaining capacity is displayed on an area 4 of the card 1 by punching.