From a Westerner's perspective of the place of people with a disability in Asian society, there are similarities and differences between the two societies. A major problem for the Asian countries is their lack of reliable disability prevalence data. The stigmatization of people with a disability remains an international problem and is not confined to Asian cultures. It is argued that the environmental contexts of a culture need to be explored before making generalisations about a culture's attitudes towards people experiencing a disability. Differences between social policies toward disadvantaged groups are explored with reference to economic rationalist policies, utilitarian individualism, materialism, and the potential moral challenges presented by new genetic discoveries. The rise of globalisation and its potential impact upon traditional Asian cultures is explored. The concluding analysis examines developments in disability legislation, support services and the development of a local disability research capacity.