The reading test is murder, that's what everyone says. There is never enough time to finish, etc.
It's really no more difficult than any adult level reading passage. What I mean is, the reading section is not 300 pages long. What makes it difficult is the vocabulary. So your strategy is to learn all the words. Native readers aren't faster, just familiar with the words. Don't try to practice speed reading at the expense of vocabulary.
There is a place for speed reading, however. We practiced 速読 in school. It was beneficial because it challenged me to try and read faster, even when I wanted to stop and pore over the text. I was surprised to find that if I knew most of the words, when I was done with the article, I had a good idea what the author stated. My brain even seemed to keep working after the reading to unconsciously put it all together. Don't have staring contests with the kanji you don't know, just move on. So, to summarize:
- Focus on learning vocabulary.
- When reading, try and challenge your natural pace.
- Trust your brain while reading, wait until the end of the passage to see if you got the meaning.
Like I said, this is a pre-coffee, just woke up, not thought out post. So you should probably do the opposite.