Yano was born in 1930 at Pakapena village in the Western Highlands district of Tambul District and served as a missionary and translator for the US missionaries in the 1950s before entering politics.
While serving as a missionary teacher, he taught Local Government Minister Pila Niningi and many other prominent Papua New Guineans, NBC News PNG reported.
Yano's political entry took place when he was elected councillor in 1970 and also served as the Giluwe LLG president for 10 years. He was later voted as the Upper Kaguel Constituency MP in the Western Highlands Provincial government in 1980, and held various ministerial portfolios.
He contested the LLG elections in 1997 and won the Mount Giluwe LLG presidential seat. He was knighted in the same year.
He leaves behind two wives, 10 children and 21 grandchildren.
