[RealJames]

No you don't have to ask for permission, but family ties are also a lot stronger here and if a family disapproves of a bf then the girl may well break it off.
Maybe not so much so when it comes to dating but if it starts to get serious then for sure.
You wont find nearly as many women willing to defy their parents wishes as in western cultures.

Having said that, if you're not a dick things should be fine, it helps to make your presence known sooner than later also. The die hard conservatives are mostly in the "grandparent" generation now, parents tend to be cool with most things.