SoftBank Group is buying about 2% of Santa Clara, California's Intel, the storied U.S. chipmaker that has lost ground in recent years in the race to build better and faster semiconductors.

The deal is the biggest investment by a Japanese company into the United States since the two countries reached a trade agreement on July 22.

In a statement, the companies said that SoftBank Group would be buying $2 billion of Intel shares for $23 apiece.