The government plans to put into operation a computer simulator that can predict the damage caused by a large-scale terrorist attack, an official said Tuesday.

The system contains data about the damage that can be expected from different types of attack, including missile strikes and the release of poison gas, Cabinet Secretariat spokesman Toru Onoda said.

In the event an attack takes place, topographic, climatic and other data would be entered to generate an estimate of injuries and damage, Onoda said.

The development of the system was spurred by a 2004 law aimed at protecting Japanese citizens, Onoda said. The system is meant to help the government plan its response should an incident take place, he said.

The system will be operated mainly by the Cabinet Secretariat, which will provide information to other agencies and local authorities, he said.

The government earmarked 46 million yen in the 2005 budget to complete development of the system, Onoda said. It is budgeting a similar amount for 2006, when the simulator is expected to go into operation.

The government has been taking steps in recent years to cope better with a potential terrorist attack.

Although Japan has not suffered an attack by Islamist terrorists on its home soil, concerns have been high that the dispatch of troops to Iraq and high-profile support for the U.S. could make it a target for militants.