On May 5, 1999, Fuji took on Minoru Tanaka in a match for the vacant Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which Tanaka won. In the summer of 1999, Fuji began feuding with the FMW President Shoichi Arai after Arai turned on FMW to join Team No Respect, leading to a match between the two at , which Arai won after Giant Steele made his FMW debut and attacked Fuji. Fuji would eventually gain revenge by teaming with Masato Tanaka to defeat Kodo Fuyuki and Shoichi Arai at on August 23. At the pay-per-view on August 25, Fuji teamed with Naohiko Yamazaki in a loss to Super Leather and Chris Youngblood.