Right, I prefer slim systems and I typically uninstall everything input method related that my distro has chosen to preinstall. I cannot read or memorize a single CJK character, so why would I need that.
Aditionally programming and computers for me means English, although that is not my mother tongue. I would never install anything in my mother tongue.
Basically I use my mother tongue (and a couple of other European languages I speak) only in Email, chat or maybe some web form. I can feel your pain though, because 10+ years ago we had the same problem with the couple of non-ASCII characters you need in most European languages.
In order to have the situation in Linux improve there just need to be enough CJK contributors to fix existing bugs. And reviewers / unit test cases to make sure we Westeners don't break it again with our next commit.