Dumb question here... :? ...I'm not entirely furniture knowledgeable but...what exactly is a "nice asian cabinet?" If it's a nice piece of furniture, expensive and/or antique, maybe you'd rather not put it there? You're guaranteed to spill saltwater from the tank, plus it generates a lot of general humidity just by sitting there, PLUS salt creep would probably bring salt into the cabinet somehow even if you managed to never spill...which you won't.
That's not to say wood and aquariums don't mix, but I think it needs to be properly prepared wood, such as the polyurethane-slathered lightboxes I built for my tank. I'd be worried about your average cabinet getting warped and cracked, and maybe even some sort of wood rot.
If this cabinet isn't so precious, then also be sure that it can support the weight of this aquarium when full. They're VERY heavy.
I dunno about startling him...maybe if the doors can be gently opened?
rusty