Considering how far Manichaeism reached IOTL, with adherents living in places as far apart as Roman Gaul and China, I was wondering how Manichaeism could possibly reach Japan and how it would then develop on the islands. A few specific questions:
- If Manichaeism reaches Japan, how influential could it become? Would it be able to take the place of Buddhism in Japan?
- How much could the religion syncretize with Shinto (like how Buddhism did IOTL)?
- Would Japan's interactions with the rest of East Asia be significantly impacted by adopting Manichaeism?
- Assuming there's a butterfly net over the rest of the world, how would a Manichean Japan interact with European Christians as opposed to IOTL?