Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Japan plans to create “millions” of jobs by promoting energy-saving products and other environment friendly technologies.

“I received orders from the Prime Minister to draft a Green New Deal plan,” Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito told reporters in Tokyo today. “The orders were to create something that would create jobs by the millions and will fundamentally change Japanese society.”

Prime Minister Taro Aso wants to exceed a plan to expand the market for green products to about 100 trillion yen ($1.1 trillion) by 2015, Saito said, confirming an earlier Nikkei newspaper report.

The government is examining measures to generate 2.2 million new jobs, Nikkei said. The plan may include incentives to encourage the purchase of electric cars and energy-efficient appliances. Loans to companies that invest in environment- friendly and energy-efficient fields may also be included, the Nikkei said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Takashi Hirokawa in Tokyo at thirokawa@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 6, 2009 04:15 EST