A correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)43 G>A in the calpain-10 (CAPN10) gene (i.e., CAPN10 SNP43) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility has been suggested, but the evidence for such a relationship remains controversial. To explore the association of the CAPN10 SNP43 with T2DM in Asian populations, a meta-analysis including 9,353 participants from 20 individual studies in Asian populations was conducted. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were evaluated by a fixed-effect model or random-effect model. The relationship between CAPN10 SNP43 and T2DM was significant under allelic (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.38, P = 0.03), recessive (OR: 1.236, 95% CI: 1.038-1.472, P =0.017), heterozygous (OR: 1.261, 95% CI: 1.053-1.512, P = 0.012), and additive (OR: 1.183, 95% CI: 1.014-1.381, P = 0.033) genetic models but not under dominant (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.78-1.62, P = 0.53) or homozygous (OR: 0.937, 95% CI: 0.648-1.355, P = 0.730) genetic models. CAPN10 SNP43 was significantly associated with T2DM susceptibility in Asian populations, especially in Chinese populations. Asians, particularly Chinese people with the SNP43 G allele of the CAPN10 gene may have an increased risk of developing T2DM.