Born in Yokohama, Gono studied at the Tokyo University of Science before becoming a computer programmer.
In her spare time, she studied English, and on the suggestion of a teacher at the language school, she found work with the Zensendomei trade union.
She rose to become director of the union's international affairs bureau, and from 1998 was secretary of the Textile Workers' Asian Regional Organization.
[1][2] In 2016, Gono was elected as the vice-president of the Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Commerce, Food and General Services Workers' Unions, successor of Zensendomei.
[1][2] In 2022, Gono was elected as president of the International Trade Union Confederation, the first Japanese person to hold the post.