Senestoj: CRPG is a lot of things, and then CRPG players can have very different preferences. I agree that I simplified a little by pinpointing many JRPG has a class design that remove many choices unlike do most Western CRPG. Often roster approach and some alternate choices but important anyway make a party building relatively complex.
But I don't think anyway it's the same balance challenge than with class style design of Western CRPG.
EDIT: Moreover D&D design for BG1 and even for BG2 is a lot more like JRPG that is with not much building choices. It started change more with later D&D. And it's not the current trend of class design for Western CRPG.
Actually, classic WRPGs didn't have many choices with respect to character building.
For example:
Wizardry 1-5: Choose race (only affects starting stats), alignment, class. Can change class to keep spells from a previous class.
Bard's Tale 1-3: Choose race (only affects starting stats), class. Spellcasters (only) can change class to learn other spells, so the only decision is the order in which to get the spells. Even then, you can't start as a Sorcerer or Wizard, so you can't learn those spells right away. BT3 has a couple class change options that cause the loss of all previous abilities, but are the only way to change to those classes.
Ultima 3: Choose race, class, starting stats. Stats boosted by spending money at shrines, but you can't reach those shrines right away.
Might and Magic: World of Xeen: Choose race and class. Tons of single-use permanent stat boosts which tend to make your starting stats irrelevant.
In fact, I would say that jRPGs tend to have more character building options than classic WRPGs. Of interest, Final Fantasy 2 probably has more options than any other games released around that time.