<p>Motions and load characteristics of a floating point absorber type wave energy converter (WEC) were investigated by tank test considering operation modes. Four typical operation modes of a movable float, namely fixed mode, free mode, controlled mode without power generation, and controlled mode with power generation, were examined by the WEC model with an AC servo motor and a rack and pinion mechanism as a power take-off system in the tank test. The test results show that the operation modes have little effects on surge and pitch motions of the WEC. The measured load, such as mooring tension and axial force on the WEC, on the contrary, were strongly affected by the operation modes. The measured bending moment of the WEC, however, was affected by the WEC surge and pitch motions rather than the operation modes. Additionally, a numerical simulation using a commercial code, the Orcaflex, was conducted, and the simulation results were compared with measured ones. The WEC motions and mooring tension of the simulation results were comparable to those of measured ones in regular waves. The simulated power spectrum density of surge, pitch and mooring tension qualitatively matched measured ones, but they slightly underestimated measured ones at peak wave frequency in irregular waves.</p>