BOSTON — Continuing their ever-expanding globalization, the Red Sox yesterday announced a formal partnership with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League, a deal that will aid the Sox in scouting information, statistical analysis and player evaluation of players in the Pacific Rim.

The teams plan to share information on scouting and coaching and intend to send coaches and instructors to Chiba, while hosting personnel from the Japanese team in spring training and the fall instructional league.

President and CEO Larry Lucchino said the arrangement will help the Sox “long-term plan to develop a bigger footprint in all of Asia, not just Japan.

Lucchino, general manager Theo Epstein and vice president of international scouting Craig Shipley stressed that while other similar deals have been symbolic, the Sox plan to make this relationship substantive for both sides.

Epstein said the goal was “to learn and move forward together.”

The Sox, of course, made big inroads into Japan last winter by submitting the winning posting bid for starter Daisuke Matsuzaka and signing free agent reliever Hideki Okajima. Matsuzaka is the winningest rookie pitcher in either league while Okajima has been a bullpen mainstay (2-0, 0.88 ERA, four saves) and may learn today that he’s been added to the American League All-Star team.

But the Sox stressed that the relationship with Chiba should not be interpreted as a move to help the Sox “raid Japanese baseball,” Epstein said.

—SEAN McADAM