How and when did Japan receive its name?

How and when did Japan receive its name?

The English word for Japan came to the west from early trade routes. The early Mandarin Chinese word for Japan was recorded by Marco Polo as Cipangu. The two Chinese characters may be translated as "origin of the sun" or "land of the rising sun". However, the Cantonese word for Japan, from which the word Japan was probably originally born, is Jatbun. In Malay the Cantonese word became Japang and was thus encountered by Portuguese traders in Malacca in the 16th century. It is thought the Portuguese traders were the first to bring the word to Europe. It was first recorded in English in 1577 spelled Giapan.The Japanese flag is called Hinomaru (circle of the sun). The red circle on the white background symbolizes the sun.